John 3:5-7
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
Back when we were reading about baptism, we wondered whether Jesus was refering to baptism when he said, “unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” But reading his words again in this context, it seems that Jesus is contrasting being born of water with being born of water and the Spirit. Being born of water is being born a part of God’s creation. (Always interesting to try to imagine floating in fluid, every day becoming more and more aware of sounds and sensations reaching us from outside the womb, followed by the active process of birth!) But when we receive the Holy Spirit as a follower of Christ, our lives and our futures are changed forever. Water brings us safely into our earthly existence, but the Holy Spirit allows us to be born again into God’s eternal presence.
Holy Lord, I am thankful for every part of my life. My mother gave birth to me nearly 65 years ago in a small hospital in a small town. My parents made sure I knew you by bringing me to church. Somewhere in my childhood your Holy Spirit (heard my prayers?) came to me, and you have never left. I was born of water, but born again of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Becky, transforming