24 April 2017 - born again

 [ Today's Readings ]

Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

We are born again of water and Spirit in Baptism. That means that our spirits our reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit. They are made able to see and to enter the Kingdom of God. Once we are born from Spirit we begin to operate based on what the Spirit tells us. The world doesn't understand our motivations any longer. We're like the wind that blows where it wills.

The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Or we are meant to be. We need to live the grace of our baptism. We must not let the living water stagnate nor close the windows to the breeze of the Spirit blowing upon us. Living the grace of our baptism means living in a way that is dead to sin and alive to God. It is trusting in God for freedom from our past lives and actions and living to please him. Why do we often notice that we aren't living this way? The world tricks us, even hypnotizes us, into falling in line with its fallen paradigms. Subtle fears keep us from allowing the wind of the Spirit to fully take our sails are propel us onward and upward. Let us pray for boldness as the disciples do.

And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

The LORD wants to answer prayers to make us bold. He wants to do signs and wonders and healings to vindicate those who are bold for him. If we pray for this he may give us opportunities to put it to the test. At first this might be frightening but as we act with the boldness he gives us we learn that he is trustworthy. There is really no competition between the world which tries to frighten us and the God who gives us his strength.

He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."