April 7
Verse of the Day for April 7
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.John 3:3 KJV
The Key of Renewal · Day 7 of 30
Reflection · 4 min read
Except A Man Be Born Again
Nicodemus comes at night, which John mentions for a reason. He is a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, and he opens with a compliment: we know that thou art a teacher come from God.
Jesus does not respond to the compliment at all.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
To a man whose entire standing rested on lineage, learning and observance, this is the most disruptive sentence available. Birth is the one thing nobody arranges for themselves.
Nicodemus takes it literally and asks the obvious question about entering his mother's womb, and the question is not stupid. He is pressing on exactly the right problem: how does an adult start again from the beginning?
The answer given is the wind. It bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh.
You do not organise your own birth. You can only notice that something has happened to you.
Birth is the one thingnobody arranges for themselves.
Every religion offers improvement. This offers a second birth, which is a different category and cannot be worked toward.
Nicodemus came with credentials. Jesus told him he needed to be born.
Carry this today
Are you trying to improve where you need to be born?
Pray
Read John 3:1–8
1There 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, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; 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, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Keep praying
Reflection by Collins Asein, from the daily devotionals in the PrayerKey app. Bible text: King James Version.