Nicodemus coming to Christ, Henry Ossawa Tanner, via Wikimedia Commons
Why do we settle, O God, for only being born once, or even twice,
as if the world never changes,
as if everything is just fine the way it is
and we have no need for new life,
new encounters with you,
new promptings of your Spirit,
and new awakenings in our souls?
Why do we turn your invitation into a mark of our own achievement,
as if your life is anything other than an extravagant gift,
as if the glimpses of your reign that we receive
are earned,
or deserved,
or make us somehow ‘better’ than others?
We praise you for the shocking miraculous truth, God,
that we can always be – that we need to always be
born again;
that daily you welcome us into a surprising new life,
the wonderful, creative, unpredictable world of your Spirit;
and that all we can do is allow ourselves to be pushed
birthed, by your grace,
into new experiences of your reign.
Here we are, O God;
Let us be, once more,
in this moment, in this place,
Born yet again.
Amen.
John van de Laar, South African Methodist worship minster
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Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
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