My Pleasure

What is your favorite fast food restaurant?

For breakfast; Hardee's or Bojangles? With kids; McDonald's or Wendy's? With friends; a Zaxby's platter or Little Caesar's Hot-n-Ready? These decisions are always tough and vary with the shifting circumstances of who, what, when, and where.

My favorite restaurant, without question, is Chic-Fil-A. I don't know if it's the product of such great food, the customer service that goes above and beyond typical fast food chains, or the leadership and character qualities they employ with each member of their team.

But there's one thing I know I can always count on; it's hearing these words ringing from every checkout line, "My pleasure!" Without fail, those words always follow the exchange of my money for their #1 combo with a lemonade.

Have you ever thought about what it would sound like to hear God say, "My pleasure?"

He did.

"It pleased the Lord to crush Him."

Jesus was betrayed by His own disciple, falsely accused by His own countrymen, beaten by Roman guards, and ultimately executed by crucifixion and it pleased the Father to see His son agonizing in pain under the weight of such a devastating event.

"Father if there is any way to pass this cup from me, nevertheless may your will be done." And it pleased the Father.

"Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani?!" [My God, my God why have you forsaken Me?] Yet, it pleased the Father.

How could He be pleased?

Think about the paradox of this event. Jesus had all authority but surrendered himself to the Father's will. His suffering brought pleasure to the Father. He gave up His life for us to have life. His body was broken that we may become beautiful.

He tasted the bitterness of death that we may taste the sweetness of life. Because of this exchange, this transaction, our account has been paid in full with His words, "It is finished!"

How did Jesus muster up the boldness and the breath to speak these words? Very simply; He was obedient, He was willing to surrender, He had faith in His Father.

And what about you? What is required of you to hear God speak "My pleasure" over your life? Obey; God's will be done. Surrender; give your life into His hands. Faith; trust Him with every situation in your life.

The daunting task of crushing His son was the necessary payment to make this great exchange. And on Sunday when Jesus arose from the grave the invitation was given that we may receive life.

How fitting is it that Chic-Fil-A would be closed on Sundays; the day God opened the door to life and provided a seat at the table of His presence?

Oh Taste and See

If you've ever had a savory and appetizing meal you know how difficult it is to settle for its substitute. It's hard to outdo the Chic-Fil-A chicken sandwich. There are people who swear by the Brazilian steaks of Fogo de Chao. Pick your choice of cuisine; Italian, Mexican, Japanese, or seafood restaurants. Replicas, knock-offs, and generic brands will never match the flavor of such insatiable desire.

So what do you do when your appetite is using your stomach as a punch bag for a savory meal?

Remember the children of Israel starving in the wilderness during the exodus and God showed up and fed them manna from heaven (Exodus 16)? How about the Hebrew boys that chose vegetables and water instead of the king's choice foods (Daniel 1)? Or that time Jesus attended the wedding feast and turned water into wine (John 2)? Who could forget when Jesus fed the multitude with five loaves and two fish (John 6)?

Just taking a glance at those stories, here's what I realized; God used ordinary people in ordinary places to do extraordinary miracles to provide hope and reason to simply taste His goodness.

"O taste and see that the Lord is good." This passage in Psalm 34:8 describes the essence of tasting true life that can only be found by faith in Him alone.

In Him we find pleasure for He is good. In Him we find protection for He is our refuge. In Him we find provision for there is no want. In Him we find peace for He calms our fear of lack. In Him we find promise for He will remain faithful.

Our greatest satisfaction in Jesus will only come when our deepest desperation is for Him. If Jesus is one of many treasures, He will really be no treasure at all. We often try to remedy the tastes of our desires in life with generic substitutes. Jesus will not allow Himself to be one of many ways to satisfy the longings of our soul.

Passing the taste-test of Jesus is to see that in Him we will not be found wanting. Tasting Jesus will fuse our God-given desires to His all-satisfying goodness of grace. If you're jumping from one substitute to the next looking for what will completely satisfy your thirst, look no further than Jesus Christ. He's been tried and found to be true. He's trustworthy and to be treasured above all others. "O taste and see that the Lord is good!"