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The Soul and the Spirit – Day 19

John 3:5

I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

The Thought

In this well known passage from John’s gospel, where Nicodemus came to ask Jesus about eternal life, we have Jesus’ explanation of why it is necessary to be “born again”. It is that which gives us the right to enter God’s kingdom, first here on earth, and later in Heaven.

We were all born physically when we entered this fallen but beautiful world. The water of the womb, keeping each baby safe in the body of the mother, is often the first sign that the baby has outgrown the womb. That is referred to here as being born of water.

According to the words of Jesus in our verse today, we need to have a spiritual birth too in order to accept God as our Father, and become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

For some, that spiritual birth, (or rebirth) happens in a dramatic way, like it did for St. Paul (Acts 9). For others the realization is much more gradual, and some people attend church all their lives without fully understanding the need of a spiritual birth or re-birth. But in today’s verse, the word of God is clear.

Action

If you are not sure that you have entered the Kingdom of God, then talk to Jesus about that today. Tell Him you believe in Him and want your spirit to be renewed by His Spirit.

Read Acts 9 and appreciate the dramatic conversion that Paul experienced.

Pray for a fresh revelation of what it means to be born again and to become a Son of God.

Praise God that He is ever patient with us and is always ready to receive us as His children.

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