In the Gospel of John, Jesus said to Nicodemus: “‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to him, ‘How can this happen?”
Nicodemus was one of the leading teachers, yet here he tries to make a quiet request for information from Jesus. As a religious teacher he was well versed in the rules and regulations, but there was still a gap in his knowledge. He didn’t know about the Holy Spirit and the new existence that we receive by being born of “water and the spirit.” In a way, he can’t be blamed, since Jesus had not yet revealed it.
This exchange goes to show us how fundamental spiritual knowledge is in order to be a credible spiritual leader. We need to lead others to deeper faith but we will only do so to the degree of our own faith and offer what is living in our hearts. This allows us to bridge the gap between head and heart, knowledge and faith.
Lord, increase my faith!
Lord, you know my needs better than I do. I turn to your Spirit to teach me what to ask for in prayer and I place all my hope in you.
Smitten With Goodness 