Thoughts for the Day

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?

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Today we go back to before Jesus' death and resurrection. He a is speaking to Nicodemus, who is a Phrisee. Because of their fastidious desire to keep strictly to the Law of Moses many opposed Jesus, and he denounced them for their desire to keep the law whatever the cost. Nicodemus is a member of the Great Sanhedrin, the ruling body for all things concerning Jewish law and religion. Why does he come at night? Perhaps he can't afford to be seen mixing with Jesus, or perhaps he was checking up on an itinerant preacher to see if he was breaking the law? Whichever it is we are later told that he is a secret disciple of Jesus, and he with Joseph of Arimathea will bury the body of Jesus (John 19.38-42).

As a Jew, Nicodemus would have believed that he was already one of God's people, because of the Covenant the Jewish people had made with God. But Jesus tells him he needs to be born again, and he wants queries how this is possible. Jesus points out that he doesn't understand the way the wind works, but he can still see its effect. He may not understand how he can be born again through water and the Spirit, he just needs faith that it can and does happen.

We too may not understand the power of God, but we can see it at work in our own lives. We can see how Christians grow and mature, and we can see how God's love is spread to others. We don't have to understand the Holy Spirit, we just have to welcome Him into our life.

Holy Spirit, Power of God,
You enabled us to be born again at our Baptism.
Stop us from thinking that we can change ourselves,
and help us to realise that we should simply
allow You into our life,
so that You can transform us
into the person You would have us be.
Amen.