Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
John 3:1-15

Born Anew. When we stop and think about it, the fact that you and I were born is a pretty big deal to you and me. There was an event that stood as the doorway to the life that we are living in the here and now. Every year we pause and celebrate that moment and the beginning of our earthly lives.

One day in his earthly life, a man named Nicodemus sought out Jesus to learn some of the truths that our Lord seemed to know. And Jesus treated Nicodemus to some great news — we can be born anew – and placed on the path to life eternal. Nicodemus was a little confused. The conversation touched on the Spirit (and the wind) and some of the mysteries of how God works, and then concluded with the heart of the matter. Jesus promised that as we are born anew – we enter a life that never ends.

That’s what we find in that moment when we seek out Jesus – something wonderfully new. And then – as we live in relationship with this loving Lord – the good things just keep coming and coming.

Prayer

God, thank You for giving me the newness in life that I have found in Your Son, Jesus. I know what people mean when they say that life is good. Amen.