Passage of the Day:
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit,” John 3:1-8.
Reflection:
As I look back on my life, there have been plenty of times when I tried to change without asking for God’s help. Despite this lack of transformation, I pressed on, thinking I could do this on my own. Perhaps, the Pharisee Nicodemus who met with Jesus at night thought he could be religious, relying on his own spiritual zeal and self-discipline. Jesus quickly corrected this ungodly belief. While Nicodemus uses sarcasm as if it was possible for a grown adult to be shoved back into his mother’s womb, Jesus makes it clear that “you must be born again.” Genuine spiritual faith is a byproduct of becoming born again.
Prayerful Action:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, Galatians 2:20.
Fueling Your Faith this Spiritual Season:
The apostle Paul explains the born-again process which dumbfounded Nicodemus. To the educated and well-schooled, Jesus’ advice was foolish. A similar stumbling block which the philosophers of Corinth struggled with as well, 1 Corinthians 2. Yet, if you want to experience the promised abundant life of John 10:10, you must be born again, gradually transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1:3-4. This is where faith is conceived via rebirth in Christ.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
Like the Pharisee Nicodemus, contemplating the concept of becoming born again takes time. May today’s blog and attached song help you sort through your own spiritual questions. When you’re ready, don’t be afraid to take the plunge of faith, Romans 10:9-11.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 