The Greatest Intangible

When I played football in high school, the locker room was filled with several plaques made out of plywood that had different things written on them.  My coach called them the 'intangibles.'  These were motivational sayings or reminders of what we were to do.  On game Fridays we would go to the middle school and have a team meal in silence, then we would meet in the library(no one was at the school when we got there) and we would go over the intangibles.  Coach would say give me one.  Someone would repeat one and he would explain it.  I only remember two.  My favorite:  Any ole nag can start a race but it takes a thoroughbred to finish.  Coach would say: "At the beginnning of the summer we had a lot that came out and showed interest, but after running through the heat and lifting (weights) through the pain, many ole nags went home.  Men, you are thoroughbreds, you came through.  Now lets take what we have earned and not let the opponent take it from us.  You are better prepared than anybody that you will play.  Now outplay them."  Now if that don't bring tears to your eyes, you don't love football.  Another one was 'Oskie.'  Oskie is a universal term that is shouted when the defense catches an interception.  It tells the team to stop defending and to turn around and block.  So in our meeting someone would yell that out and our mouth would water at the opportunity.   They were called the 'intangibles.'  Some of what makes football great.
Let me tell you about a better intangible- the movement of the Spirit of God in His people.  You cannot always predict or put your finger on it, but I know it when I sense it.  There is nothing better- no song, no sermon, no  prayer, than the free move and reign of the Holy Spirit of God.  Nothing better!  It happens when hearts are right and the Word is shared.  It is special!  I cannot imagine what it was like when Jesus shared the Word.  I have never physically heard a perfect preacher.  Jesus is the only one.  However, I have felt the overwhelming, humbling power of His Presence.  There is NOTHING better.  Can you imagine what they felt on the road to Emmaus and in the upper room? Notice the passages in Luke 24:32-They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"  And in v.45-Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.  That, my friend, is the power of the Holy Spirit.  Although Jesus does not physically walk among us as He did these, He is Here, none the less.  His Spirit moves and works and His power burns within us and His Insight opens our eyes.  You cannot put your finger on it, you don't always know when the saturating cloud of His Powerful Presence will be felt heavily in the atmosphere of worship, but there is nothing better.  It is the Greatest Intangible!  I sincerely pray for it to be abundant in worship and I pray that you do as well.  Seek His Face, feel His Presence, and Ask for an Abundance!