Tangible Intangibles

to grasp the love that 
	cannot be held 
to know the love that 
	cannot be known 
to be rooted in love that 
	sent God’ Chosen 
	to die by torture 

yes, even this is possible
	although incomprehensible
even this can be accomplished
	although never finished
even this will be my goal
	although it hangs on
	things yet unseen

I will dig deep into what is
	unfathomable
explore the territory that
	is unending
grow green and produce fruit
	unimaginable
	but God’s true plan

If I had been able to go back to my other home, Ferkessédougou, Côte d’Ivoire, this year, I would be once again searching the numerous mango trees for the tiny buds that can barely be seen. They are green, so small that they are hard to notice unless they are silhouetted against the sky. But they bring hope, because in a few weeks they will be large and turning orange and yellow, some of them ready to bring delight to the taste buds.

They appear in the dry season and you need to wait  for the “mango rains” to come in March so that fruit begins to ripen, soon dropping from the trees if it hasn’t been picked. Can you tell we miss the harvest?

It strikes me that even though the mangoes are not yet there as edible fruit, we know they are coming. We can imagine the juice running down our arms when we grab one off the tree, even if now we only see a minute beginning.

Our faith in the supernatural operates much the same way.  The entire reality of God’s being and character are beyond our human comprehension. We can see fingerprints of what God has been doing, even when we didn’t realize at the time what the effects would be. Looking back is easier—like when you bite into that ripe mango! You can see what was in process. Looking forward requires trust, and it keeps growing as we notice what he has done and is now doing. Digging into his Word, we learn more and more about him but also draw closer to him, understanding who he is and that he lives in us. We are growing.

Some things are like buds and still await full understanding. They can seem intangible because they far surpass our ability to wrap our minds around them—like the greatness of God who made and sustains the universe, like the limitless extent of his love that desires the intimacy of living inside us, like his rule over the world when we see evil continue to impact it. We are finite; he is infinite. We are created; he is the Creator. We are citizens of heaven but have not yet set foot there. We notice his promptings, sometimes even his clear direction, but we cannot yet know all of his purposes in and through us.

It takes faith and acknowledgement of what is now intangible, complete trust in the Sovereign Yahweh who is also loving Father to his sons and daughters. May we turn over our tiny green buds of hope and faith, putting them in his hands, to be ripened into the fruit he desires. He is ready to pour into us all that we need for growth! So let us keep on keeping on, pressing forward to understand more and more what is true and promotes our spiritual growth—especially to know God with greater understanding and intimacy, experiencing his love and faithfulness as we walk through life following his direction, nourished by his Word!

For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. (1 Cor. 13:12 NET)

The LORD takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love. (Ps. 147:11 NET)

See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children– and indeed we are!  (1 Jn. 3:1a NET)

And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has in us. God is love, and the one who resides in love resides in God, and God resides in him. (1 Jn. 4:16 NET)

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight to know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This one is the true God and eternal life. (1 Jn. 5:20 NET)