Zion Lutheran

“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.” John 3:8 Nicodemus was in a tough situation. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. He was drawn toward Jesus. He was intrigued by what Jesus taught, by what Jesus did and by who Jesus was. But, Nicodemus was a Pharisee. It was his responsibility to make sure that the religious laws and practices were followed without exception and with no changes. So, knowing that it would not be wise or safe, Nicodemus went to talk to Jesus at night when he would not be easily seen.

Nicodemus had many questions for Jesus but his main concern was, “How can these things be? How can a person be born of water and spirit? How can a person be born from above? How does the Holy Spirit work?” So, what is God doing? God seems to be changing ‘the rules’. Yes and no. Yes, God opened the door to many more than the chosen people but this was motivated by his great love for all that he created.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” John 3:16 Out of God’s great love for us, we have been given the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will be as mysterious as the wind. You can see and hear the impact of the wind. You know that it’s there, but you can not see where it comes from or where it is going. The wind can be a cooling breeze but can also be alarming and troublesome. The Holy Spirit can be calming and comforting. The Holy Spirit can jolt us out of complacency, guiding us to the true source of hope and light in our life.

“But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” John 3:21 How has the Holy Spirit been working in your life lately? Has it been the source of comfort for you in times of trouble? Are you looking for guidance from the Holy Spirit in your decisions? Is the Holy Spirit calling you to fix something in your life – or try something new – or simply calling you to be more involved in the world around you?

I hope that you live with the constant awareness of God’s great love for you and the presence of the Holy Spirit at work in you life as well as the life of our congregation. As you feel the gentle breeze or strong wind, give thanks to God for all that you have received and ask what God is calling you to do next.

In Christ,

Pastor Becky Sogge

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