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Where are you going? Where are you going: our June devotion based on John 3:1-13Are you born again? Have you been born again? This story from the Bible can become the source of an argument when an 'evangelical' Christian and a 'traditional' Christian meet to discuss Baptism & Faith. Of course, labels are unimportant -- but our perceived 'differences' can lead to some pretty heated discussions about being 'reborn' by the Spirit! As an older, traditional Christian, baptised as a child, I believe I am spiritually reborn through the promises of Jesus offered to me in Baptism! I believe the Spirit of God is my connection to my Saviour and to my heavenly Father, in whose (Trinitarian) Name I am baptised. Looking again at the story about Jesus speaking with the wise teacher of the law, named Nicodemus -- I saw something I hadn't really noticed before -- for that previously-named reason. Jesus tried to explain to Nicodemus that the Spirit can do unexplainable things! -- There are many unexplainable things in creation -- but think of the movement of the wind: unless you are a scientist, you may not know what causes wind, where it comes from or where it goes -- If we can't understand earthly things about which Jesus spoke -- how can we understand spiritual things? I remember being taught in confirmation classes that we can never fully understand God's Word -- or keep it! However, the image of a sail on a boat came to mind as I reread this story! The wind can't be seen. But, it can move your hair; fill a sail & move a boat when it meets with the right 'resistance'! Wrong resistance would of course be to let the sail flutter in the wind --or to try to steer against it -- which might even upset your boat! -- I'm no sailor, and I've 'dumped' many a small sailing craft! A good sailor learns how much tension to allow in the sail and to steer accordingly. So, a bit of the mystery of what Jesus was saying may actually have made sense to Nicodemus because he lived awful close to both the Mediterranean & the Sea of Galilee -- and of course, to the Jordan river too. I wonder whether Jesus may also have gone on to tell Nicodemus: 'It's not good enough to know about the Spirit -- but, like the sailor, to 'go with' the Spirit; to allow it to lead you -- is what is required of you'. 'Wrong resistance' fights the Spirit of God. It 'wastes' God's time. 'Wrong resistance' wrestles against God -- to see who might win. At some point, God might just allow you to win -- and let you go where you want to go -- So, where are you going? Jesus had told Nicodemus: " ... unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ... unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ... you must be born anew." A good washing down in the lake when we become too 'smart' with God might be helpful to bring some sense back into our hearts and minds -- but, that wasn't what Jesus was speaking about. Jesus was speaking about that spiritual cleansing & renewal that Baptism also conveys: as Christ died and rose again -- so we die to our old 'Adam' and rise to new life with Him through the water of Baptism; as we submit to His Baptism! I believe Jesus was inviting Nicodemus into his 'spiritual lesson' so Nicodemus would also decide to follow Jesus. -- How do I know? Take some time to read 'the rest of the story in John's Gospel! See where Nicodemus appears again. Pleasant reading! God bless you in your journey.
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