Although they say that seeing is believing, believing isn't e'er based on seeing, particularly when we're wrestling with mysterious things like love and wind. There are both visible and invisible realities, and to fully grasp life, we have to explore the abstract and intangible besides as the physically accessible . . . the black holes in the universe—and in our hearts.

Nicodemus was a religious leader among the Jews who was trying to sympathize the heed and mission of the masterful new instructor in town. Nicodemus had heard about Jesus and recognized that there was more to him than met his eyes. Who was he really? What were his political intentions? Jesus healed people of concrete and spiritual ailments, but unlike modern healers, who could but cure some people, Jesus healed everyone, even those who had been blind and lame from birth. No one earlier (or since) had been able to heal every unmarried person who came to him for help. Jesus was unique throughout time and history. Just, Jesus was complicated, and many of area rabbis felt wary of him. Nicodemus wasn't really on a midnight mission to understand healing. (Fifty-fifty though he needed spiritual healing, Nicodemus was blind to his demand.) Instead, his mission was to sympathise what the kingdom of God was all about, and if Jesus was planning to usher it in. Jesus knew this, so rather than wasting time discussing his credentials as a healer, Jesus answered the unspoken question in Nicodemus's heart: How do I become a part of the kingdom of God?

As a scholar, Nicodemus doubtless knew the prophecy from Daniel 2:44, "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven ready a kingdom, which shall never exist destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." Nicodemus may have heard Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of his public ministry building: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: apologize ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark ane:fifteen). Perchance Nicodemus was even present when the curious crowd heard Jesus' famous sermon on the Mount of Olives: "Just seek ye beginning the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall exist added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

What was this kingdom of God? Do you know? If you could be a part of God'southward kingdom, would you want to be? I remember Nicodemus wanted to exist, although probably he was expecting a literal, physical kingdom that would replace the oppressive dominion of Rome, because he didn't understand what Jesus said. As in so many conversations recorded, Jesus was answering questions before Nicodemus could ask them—proving over and over (every bit He does for us at times) that He sees into that abstract, intangible, black pigsty in our hearts. Before Nicodemus had a chance to ask, Jesus answered: " Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a homo be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

Okay, so where practise I go with that? I have no clue what this teacher is talking about! I'm way too one-time to exist born into this world equally a baby over again . . . so is it too late for me?

I'm talking most spiritual rebirth, not concrete. This isn't something you can see. Spiritual rebirth is like the current of air: You can see the results of it, but you tin't see it. Like the current of air fluttering in the cakewalk, so nosotros can understand that the Spirit of God is moving past the way information technology makes our hearts flutter. God'due south heavenly Spirit enlivens our spirits from a sleepless death, so we wake upward to the fact that we have been denying His existence and have lived our lives without His honey and care! We are overwhelmed by His celebrity and goodness, and it causes us to grieve over all the years we've wasted and the great loss of living without His amazing embrace! We cry out to Him to forgive usa for being so bullheaded and impaired. Nosotros're struck blind past His radiant glory and fall at his feet, begging for mercy and healing so that we can see again. He heals united states of america, and we can run across again, but it's with new eyes. A new heart that beats with a pacemaker implanted by God'south ain Spirit. New lungs that breathe heavenly air. New lips that just want to sing his praises. New life that feels then much passion for our ineffable God that we want to shout to the world that He is the divine healer who solitary is worthy of all honor, and celebrity, and praise, and worship. We are born once again into the kingdom of God. We have become His kid. He is our Father. Nosotros have a new family unit with numberless brothers and sisters from ages by to the present and into the future! It's all as well wonderful to explain . . . only nosotros cry out similar a babe bursting from the womb! Okay, then I kind of empathize . . . a little. Accept information technology back. I all the same don't get it. I like what I hear, but just how tin can this happen?

And I, if I be lifted upwardly from the earth, will describe all men unto me. Well, do yous remember what happened in the wilderness when Moses was leading the people? They were all grumbling and complaining against God, so God sent  swarms of poisonous snakes that started biting and killing everybody. The people had no cure for their loved ones who were bitten, and in terror for their own lives likewise, some of them ran to Moses, begging for aid. Moses prayed to God, and God told Moses to make a contumely serpent and put it up high in the air on a pole. All the people had to practise was look upwards at the serpent on the pole, and if they believed enough to exist willing to wait, they would live! That doesn't make sense, but it worked. Remember? Y'all're not going to completely empathize this until after I am lifted up on a cross and die, only this is all you have to practise to be built-in again: Repent of your sins and believe. I tell y'all, Nay: but, except ye apologize, ye shall all also perish, and then look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth! Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again . A s Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, fifty-fifty and then must the Son of man exist lifted upward: That whosoever believeth in him should non perish, simply have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, only have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; only that the world through him might exist saved. Believeth thou this?

Ye Must Be Built-in Once again
(—William T. Sleeper, 1881, Public Domain)

A ruler once came to Jesus by night
To ask Him the mode of conservancy and calorie-free;
The Master made answer in words true and manifestly,
"Ye must exist built-in again.

Ye must be born again,
Ye must be born again;
I verily, verily say unto thee,
Ye must be born over again."

2. Ye children of men, attend to the discussion
Then solemnly uttered by Jesus the Lord;
And allow not this message to you be in vain,
"Ye must be born once more.

3. O ye who would enter that glorious balance,
And sing with the ransomed the song of the blest,
The life everlasting if ye would obtain,
"Ye must be built-in again.

4. A dear ane in heaven thy heart yearns to come across,
At the cute gate may exist watching for thee,
Then list to the note of this solemn refrain,
"Ye must be born again.

Ye must exist born once again,
Ye must be born again;
I verily, verily say unto thee,
Ye must be born again."

Text for Today's Meditation: John 3:i-22
 " There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, nosotros know that one thousand fine art a teacher come from God: for no man tin exercise these miracles that thou doest, except God exist with him. 3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be built-in once more, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is quondam? can he enter the 2nd time into his mother's womb, and exist born? 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of h2o and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the mankind is mankind; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, only canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art g a principal of Israel, and knowest not these things? elevenVerily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and prove that nosotros have seen; and ye receive non our witness. 12If I have told yous earthly things, and ye believe non, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13And no human hath ascended up to sky, just he that came downwardly from heaven, fifty-fifty the Son of man which is in heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the ophidian in the wilderness, however must the Son of human being be lifted upwards: 15That whosoever believeth in him should non perish, simply have eternal life. sixteenFor God so loved the globe, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, just have everlasting life. 17For God sent non his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that low-cal is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than calorie-free, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the calorie-free, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall non see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36).