Born again

Born Again:

          As it got closer to the day of Caleb's birth, Anna said over and over how she was ready to have the baby now.

          "If only my water would break."

About ten hours later she told me and my wife that it did indeed break. My new grandson was born only hours later. Caleb was quite a sight when we saw him. He was sunburn red, looking like he might cry any minute. There was a slight squiggle as I cradled him in my arms. After embracing God's bliss I gave him to my son Michael who swaddled in a light blue flowered blanket.
Michael noticed that Caleb was ten pounds at birth; quite a bit bigger than Joshua, his one and one-half year old brother. Michael quipped that the next one will be fifteen pounds. Anna only knew that she looked forward to another opportunity to bear a child.

          Nicodemus, a Jewish official was leery about the born again invitation that was forthcoming from Jesus about being born again in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus was confused

          "Do I have to enter my mother's womb again."?
          "What do you mean by saying I must be born again?"

          "You are a religious leader and you do not understand this."

          Nicodemus sought refuge in his teacher garb, rather than look the fool. He came at night to evade being seen by his peers. Bursting out of a dark place is an ample image for one coming into gospel light as a baby to see a new world. The water had broken. New birth for all persons was available to seekers everywhere.

          Nicodemus wanted something that Jesus had. He was in the dark mystery of the world's womb, with Jesus as the midwife. Jesus shared about a realization of each person to know what it meant to be born of God. Through Jesus death person knew of a God willing to send on to save us. It was not enough to be born of an earthly mother and father. Conception took place through the incoming word of God and a process of maturity awaited the day when the water of baptism burst revealing God's born again grace. With Jesus as a midwife persons could look forward to new birth. It might seem like a moment of eternal waiting. As God's people we bear witness to the new birth that takes place in witnessing how one thought dead could be resurrected. There is nothing more joyous than seeing how the miracle of birth that takes place with an infant, makes way for a world waiting be born again to know God's eternal embrace.

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