The Spirit as the Wind
Scripture Reading — John 3:1-8
“No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
—John 3:3
My grandmother spent over forty years praying for her relatives. She wanted us to become followers of Christ. But for a long time she was the only devoted Christian in our family. Only near the end of her life did she see her prayers answered, when many of us became Christians and joined the church.
In today’s reading Jesus explains the nature of salvation to Nicodemus, an experienced teacher of God’s people. God cannot be reduced to a simple formula. In order to enter the kingdom of God, one has to be born again. And that is the exclusive work of the Holy Spirit. The sovereign Spirit works as he pleases in the renewal of the human heart.
Jesus compares the Holy Spirit to the wind that blows wherever it wants. “Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit” (John 3:8, NLT).
Whether we are concerned with our salvation or that of our loved ones, we must wholeheartedly trust God’s grace revealed in Jesus Christ.
The mystery of salvation is deeply rooted in God’s boundless love. That’s why even the worst sinner can be born again into the kingdom of God. And that’s why we can confidently pray for our unsaved loved ones.
Spirit of God, thank you for blowing the love of Christ into our lives. Inspire us to pray for and witness to our unbelieving friends and relatives. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
About the author — Sergei Sosedkin
Sergei Sosedkin is the Russian-language ministry leader for ReFrame Ministries. He is a native of Moscow, Russia. As he oversees the Russian-language ministry, Sosedkin works from our office in Grand Rapids and in various locations in Russia.
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