Tangible: capable of being understood and evaluated, and therefore regarded as real.
Every Monday night I share my home with at least 10 women who choose to come to my house for Bible study. The moment is surreal. After two years and seven months now of opening my home, one might think that I am quite familiar with the lessons, I have studied throughout the entire day, with an assuming ease. The fact is; it is still very difficult. But there is something about the “tangible.”
I was raised with the Word of God (the Holy Bible) spoken over my life. I recall my daddy becoming more and more involved with a non-denominational prayer group who actually led him further into the desire of knowing Jesus more tangibly. I was twelve years old. He had a relationship with Jesus, and he began talking to him as if he was sitting in the seat next to him in the car. I remember one time my dad began to say out loud, while I was in his car, “I love you Jesus” and “you are so good to me.” He went on to say; “I praise you and I adore you.” He attempted at times to make his words a song, though he could not carry a very good tune. My favorite words I heard him say were; “I am so glad that you love me, and you supply all my needs.” He believed everything he said. He knew his friend Jesus heard him. You could almost sense he spoke right back.
It was common for me to hear daddy talk to Jesus. It was as if Jesus was a ‘tangible’ member of our family, and he didn’t just come around at dinner time, he was with my dad every where he went. He never tired of his friend Jesus. He was always aware of his presence.
I picked up on it.
I liked the relationship my dad had with Jesus so much that I wanted to see and hear him, just like he did. I began to talk to my friend Jesus too. He began to speak back. I heard HIM through His “Word” and sometimes I heard him within the years of listening to my dad teach. Training is an exercise of the Spirit-Soul and body. I feel fit, in Spirit and the soul arena of my life. I have had to use the strength I obtained from knowing him, many times. Though I fail also, I know exactly where to place my attention when I get up.
Last night, before my Bible study was about to unfold, I started to speak. All eyes were on my face and all ears were tuned to whatever in the world I was about to say. I felt my friend Jesus. It was as if just He and I were in the room for a moment and they waited a few minutes before I could articulate what it was I would say and do.
Suddenly all of my studying I did began to avalanche into my heart.
All the words I read and all the little secrets He had shown me throughout the day began to invade my space. I did not want to begin to gather my thought; I wanted to just talk to my ‘friend’ Jesus. However when people are waiting on you to open your mouth to share in this Bible we love so much, you have to pull it together and make it all line up and regain the focus to deliver the message. Though it seemed like this could have be ‘routine’ I recognized the tangible. But I moved forward in the preparation I did, but I heard his voice all throughout the hour an a half.
The Word of God is transforming. The Power that it has to move you from the inside out is like none other. When you are transformed, you are changed from within and it shows outwardly. When you are changed you are ignited for a greater purpose than when you were just common without this power. Only a relationship with Jesus can give you an authentic tangible experience that supersedes the common. This is why ‘most’ charismatic Christians are ridiculed. I never really cared. I am charismatic in my love for him. I was used to being ‘strange’……my dad never seemed to mind.
If you would begin to walk and talk and speak to this friend you might have met many years ago, or maybe you have never met him at all, you could begin to feel the change. This is the tangible. To be evaluated and then actually understood is the meaning of tangible. Are we really understood? Maybe not or maybe so, but is Jesus really understood? He is alive and few still remain to know. Allow me to introduce you to him.
I may not always make a whole lot of sense with my ability or lack of, to instruct or to guide others in this fascinating Word, but when I begin to feel those Words flood my heart, I can’t help but share it. Simply put, He is my friend.
See, I was raised full gospel and full gospel people like feeling the tangible. We are certainly laughed at and even doubted as if they are suspicious of this relationship being real, but the fact is, when you have a relationship with someone, it is real. When your relationship begins to grow, you then want others to meet your ‘friend.’
I have a tangible friend, not just on Tuesday’s after Monday nights Bible study group is long gone, but I have a friend that waits on me till I re-introduce His relevant Works all over again next Monday night.
