We encourage you to read this devotion
three times a day. Start in the morning and reflect upon the morning
reflection question. Then in the afternoon, read it again and reflect using the
noon question for reflection. For the evening, take time to ponder how
this has resonated with you in the day and reflecting using the evening
question. We offer a prayer with each devotion for you to pray or we
invite you to pray what is in your heart.
John 3:1-17
3 There
was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a Jewish leader. 2 He came
to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who
has come from God, for no one could do these miraculous signs that you do
unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born anew,
it’s not possible to see God’s kingdom.”
4 Nicodemus asked, “How is it possible for an adult to be
born? It’s impossible to enter the mother’s womb for a second time and be born,
isn’t it?”
5 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born of
water and the Spirit, it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. 6 Whatever
is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t be
surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 God’s
Spirit blows wherever it wishes. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where
it comes from or where it is going. It’s the same with everyone who is born of
the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said, “How are these things possible?”
10 Jesus answered, “You are a teacher of Israel and you don’t
know these things? 11 I assure you that we speak about what we know and testify
about what we have seen, but you don’t receive our testimony. 12 If I have
told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I
tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down
from heaven, the Human One. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so must
the Human One be lifted up 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. 17 God
didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might
be saved through him.[1]
Reflection:
Many of us have something in our life
that we know really well and like to spend time doing. I always find it amazing when I
learn something new about something I thought I already knew a lot about. I can
only imagine how Nicodemus felt when Jesus gave him a new understanding of God.
Perhaps Nicodemus was already nervous, if not scared, about speaking to Jesus
since he came to him secretly at night. Then Jesus points out that God moves
according to God’s plans not ours. I am not sure if Nicodemus grasped what
Jesus was telling him, but I think Jesus was challenging him to face his fears
and to follow God’s movement despite the other religious leaders.
Reflection Questions:
Morning: How have you seen God move in your community?
Noon: What are some ways you can support the movement of God?
Evening: How will you join God’s movement in your community?
Morning: How have you seen God move in your community?
Noon: What are some ways you can support the movement of God?
Evening: How will you join God’s movement in your community?
Prayer:
Lord, help us to face our fears and
follow you.
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