Lent 10

John 3:1-17

3Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8The 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.” 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16“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. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

While reflecting on the passage and the worship theme for the day (for tomorrow), I have been working on the pastoral prayer for the early service... which will serve as my post for the day.

Giving God, as we pause a moment and reflect on the words of Jesus as told to Nicodemus, that we must be born of water and the spirit, we pause to remember how, in the beginning, you created the waters, and out of the waters you brought life. We give thanks for the good gift of life and growth and sustenance, O God.

We give thanks for the rains that fell yesterday which cleansed and cooled and fed the earth. And this brings to mind all the ways you cleanse us, give us your peace, and offer us the sustenance of your spirit. We ask that you would be with us in these ways, O God, with those of us gathered here now, and with those who are not among us today due to illness, hospitalization, grief or whatever it is that keeps them away. And with those we love who are not part of this congregation who need your peace and your spirit.

We pray now for those for whom water does not now represent the source of peace and healing but rather destruction and chaos. We pray especially for Japan and its people, and for all the other places affected by the earthquake and tsunami which devastated so many.

God, we give you thanks for the water, but ask that you help us to remember that we must be born of water AND the spirit. Pour out your spirit upon us, guiding us, teaching us, loving us, keeping us in your ways, O Lord, that we may believe in you and have everlasting life. It is in Christ’s name that we pray. Amen.