Friday, May 25, 2012

Breathing God

It's Pentecost and Trinity so lets mix the two. John 3 is one of the readings for Trinity. I have to admit that I much prefer talking about the close of the reading, 16 and 17 than addressing the famous "You must be born again." Yet while I was worshiping with the delightful seniors at the PCH on Thursday, I realized something.

We didn't ask or take part in being born the first time.

Really, it just happens. I'm sure if you polled babies minutes after they were born that they would be very unhappy with the situation. They feel cold and separated from their mother. Light hurts their eyes, and it isn't long before hunger makes its presence felt. Yet we breathe and get on with life.

When we are born the second time, it happens the same way. We aren't asked. There is no poll or tick box saying "Do you want to be born of the Spirit?" It just is, and it already is. There is no formula, no prayer, no attitude. The only thing required of us is to breathe and get on with our lives.

But now we are not breathing just air. We are breathing God.