Advent Devotion, John 3
You Must Be Born Again
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A Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus, was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
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Nicodemus tarted out telling Jesus what he had figured out about Christ. But Jesus interrupted him, and told Nicodemus what he needed: You must be born again.
No wonder Nicodemus was shocked. Giving birth is something women do. Jesus was inviting him to know God as a perfect, loving mother.
In Native American tradition, we say that the sweat lodge is an invitation to be re-created--to go into the womb of the Creator.
In Evangelical Christianity, being born-again is at the core of our beliefs. It's not enough to be slightly improved by good advice. We human critters need a complete reboot. We need a life-changing experience. We need to know God as a nurturing, loving mother who gives birth to new Spirit life.
Hmm... An ideal mother, who gives birth to Spirit? That sounds a lot like the Christmas story, doesn't it?
Maybe that's why the Christmas story makes us all feel like kids again. Maybe this story is God's invitation to come like a child and be born again.
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Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air;
But his mother only,
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.