Savour The Things of God

Mt 16:23--But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

     You and I, both, have heard this message preached many times.  All of a sudden, it popped into my spirit today while I was meditating on the Lord as I worked.  The Greek word for 'savourest' in this passage of scripture actually means to have understanding or to feel and to think.  We'll all agree that Peter and Jesus were not understanding the Word of God the same way.  Jesus knew that His death on the cross was just the next step in destroying the power of the enemy.  Peter was looking at His impending death as the end of miracles.  We've heard this preached many times, so I won't go there.

     God brought something different into my spirit that changed the way I looked at things.  When we think about the English word 'savour,' we generally use it in relationship to food.  We think of savouring a bite of juicy, well-cooked steak.  You know, the kind that you do not want to swallow immediately but hold in your mouth until all of it's good flavor is gone.  And, we can think of dessert the same way.  Whether it's peach cobbler, Reeses Pieces Blizzard or German Chocolate Cake, we 'savour' the taste.  We let the taste linger.  Then again, BEFORE we ever get to the table, we meditate on what we are about to eat and we can almost taste the flavor in our senses hours before it is even cooked.

     With that in mind, what did Jesus mean when he told Peter that he did not 'savour' the things of God?  Let's also ask the question--What was God's thing?  What was it God understood?  What was it God felt?  What was it that God thought?  To answer that question, we have to go back to Genesis 3:15.  The devil had tempted Eve and Adam strong enough to cause them to sin and turn all of the authority of the earth over to him.  When they realized it, they were afraid, they were hurt and they realized that they had done something wrong that they could not undo.  They realized that they had brought a curse to the entire world. 

     God knew that, too.  He had watched the whole process.  He knew their feelings.  He knew each step the enemy took.  He knew every time Adam and Eve's defenses crumbled.  God was not surprised that they fell for it.  He was hurt because his love-child was hurt.  He grieved because they grieved. 

     And, He savoured something that they could not savour at the time.  He savoured Gen 3:15.  He told the devil that the seed of the woman he deceived would bruise his head.  He understood and He wanted the devil to understand that with those words, the day of His vengeance was created.  An irrevocable promise was made that God understood, He thought, He felt and He savoured.  He kept Abimalech from taking Abraham's wife, Sarah, because of what He savoured.  He kept His hand on Joseph as he was sold into slavery and then put in prison.  He brought him out with a mighty miracle because He savoured the promise.  He kept His hand on Moses so he could lead the children of Israel out of bondage because He savoured the promise.  He raised up David as king even though Saul sought his life because He savoured the day that His Son would get the opportunity to go to hell and destroy every evil plan that the devil had against the blood-bought saints.

     It would behoove us to quit messing around with church and savour the things of God.  Let our minds run only on the thought of God bringing deliverance to us.  Quit thinking about how your enemies lord over you.  Quit thinking doubt and defeat.  From the very moment sin entered this world, God's heart and soul and mind was set on bringing about divine deliverance.  How would it feel to be free from pain?  Think about it and savour it.  How would it feel to be free from debt?  Think about it and savour it.  How would it feel when your loved ones accept Christ as their Saviour?  Think about it and savour it. 

     Jesus was saying to Peter, "You are savouring defeat, just like always.  My Father has been savouring the destruction of this devil for 4,000 years.  I am more than ready to go through whatever I have to.  I am ready to bring salvation."  Savouring deliverance----the longing for revival---will create in you a stamina that can't be stopped.  You'll hunger and thirst for the things of God like never before.  You will patiently endure what you have to with a soul-stirring knowledge that God's heart is to bring you out.  Savour the things of God.