Babies crawl on the floor in exploratory wonder. To them everything is brand new. Wide-eyed and curious, they intensely study their surroundings. Humans have five basic senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. The sensing organs associated with each sense send information to the brain to help us understand and perceive the world around us.

The apostle Peter compares our spiritual awakening to early childhood experiences. Like babies curiously explore the world around them, so are we encouraged to go after the Lord and find out who He is, as referenced in the book of Psalms (Psalm 34:8):

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

Understanding that the Lord is good is core knowledge. Everything else we learn about Him builds on that. In other words, we don’t know the Lord when we don’t know that He is good.

Jesus’ story about the narrow door has always intrigued me. He was on His way to Jerusalem when someone asked him: “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” That question in itself is odd and shows that the person asking is not convinced that God is merciful and good. Interestingly, Jesus does not reply with a “Yes” or “No”. Instead, He tells the story of the narrow door that will close at a certain point, never to be opened again. Jesus looks at the person asking Him that question, and this is what He says (Luke 13:25):

“Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’”

The people knocking on the narrow door do not know that God’s door of welcome is wide. They knock on the wrong door, so-to-speak. Whoever does not know that God is good completely misses the boat.

Children of God grow up and spread their wings. The wind of the Holy Spirit carries them through highs and lows. Their love matures as they grow up in their salvation – because they have tasted and seen that the Lord is good.