John 2:23-3:15
Born of Spirit?
“Except a person be born of water and of spirit, he or she cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:5
Please read this entire section. It is one of the most beautiful and most puzzling pieces of the Bible. It tells the story of Jesus and Nicodemus, when Jesus explains the concept of being born again to qualify for the kingdom of God. He says that being born again means being born of water and of spirit. But what does that mean? Birth is violent. It is painful, messy, and changes your status permanently. It is not a gentle process. So can we really be born of spirit gently, quietly, over time. Can we be reborn without demonstrative change? I worry sometimes that we Presbyterians are so reserved that we don’t allow enough pain, mess and change into our lives and our religion. And without that pain, mess and change, are we really “born again?” I don’t know. Is God telling us to show more emotion, embrace more change, and not fear the mess of experimenting, and often failing, to embrace new members and try out different ways of worshiping Him? I think so. The churches that are growing often minister to immigrants and others on the margins of our society, and they provide a variety of worship choices. We try to do that, too, but perhaps we need to embrace rebirth more, individually and collectively.
Prayer: God, please give us the confidence and the courage to embrace change, to bear mess, to suffer pain, and to be born again to accomplish what you intend us to be and do.
Hugh Wellons
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