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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion March 31, 2008 NEVER AGAIN THE SAME |
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Frontline Devotion for Monday, March 31, 2008 by Fritz Foltz
John 3:3-8
Jesus said, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without
being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after
having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be
born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of
God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh,
and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 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.’
What are the moments that changed your life forever? Take a few moments to remember those life-changing experiences. Parishioners used to tell me events such as the birth of their first child, their marriage, the death of a parent, and recovery from a serious illness.
Sadly, they also reported devastating ones as divorce, an accident, being fired from a job, and losing a lot of money.
All of these, positive and negative, could be regarded as being born again. After each of them you see things from a different perspective from which you can never return. Notice too that for the most part these are events over which you have little control. They happen, and you have to change your plans, knowing you will never be the same again.
Jesus is making the same point when he says in order to be saved we must be born again.
First, he proclaims when we are saved, nothing will be the same again. And second, he maintains salvation is a gift given freely and unexpectedly by God, a gift for which we did nothing. Jesus says it is like the wind, beyond our control.
Recently I ran across a pamphlet offered by a televangelist, “If you have to be saved, do these things”. It claims there is a God-given biblical technique we must employ if we want to be saved. The emphasis is on what we do. The Bible places the emphasis on what Jesus has done for us.
As you can read here, a better translation than “be born again” is “be born from above”. The only other place the concept is used is in I Peter and again the emphasis is on Jesus’ resurrection changing our lives. Both John and Peter are speaking about God breaking into our lives through baptism.
Many believe our society depends on everyone planning carefully how to achieve their goals. Christians acknowledge life is more mysterious than that. No matter how well we plan, things happen over which we have no control. They change us forever. The salvation available from Jesus’ resurrection is one of these. It forces us to change our minds and our ways of life.
Take some time today to think back to the moments that have changed your life forever. Remember how you handled them. Make sure to include the gift Jesus has given.
Let us pray: We give thanks for the good life you have given us, Father. Enable us to share that life with all those around us. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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