Looking for God

So many are searching for something more. They’re not quite sure what ‘more’ means, but their heart tells them there is ‘more’ to life. These ‘seekers’ go from place to place, person to person, hoping their hearts will be fulfilled. I have met them, and when they arrive inside a Church dedicated to God’s holiness, their heart calls out to them. “We have found what we were looking for!”

The problem is that many seekers are using earthly tests to determine if they have found their heart’s desire. The heart is crying out, but their mind is still in darkness, so they depart the Church still searching. The most dangerous of the seekers are those who think they already know everything there is to know about God. They stand in His Church but cannot comprehend His grace and love. Such was the story of Nikodemos in today’s Gospel passage.

At that time, there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nikodemos, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nikodemos said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The Spirit blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, and you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nikodemos said to him, “How can this be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

John 3.1-15

He was standing in the presence of God but could not understand what he was hearing. He wasn’t approaching God only in the physical darkness of night. His mind was stuck in the darkness of worldly logic. “Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Nikodemos would remain stuck until much later when he helped to bury the Body of Christ. (John 19.39)

We cannot understand God using worldly logic. We must first open our hearts to His way of thinking. We must first open our eyes to His Light and come out of the dark. Make this the year you focus on God using His way of thinking. “The spirit blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, and you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes.” Let the spirit speak to your heart.