Nicodemus Comes to Jesus by Night.

20th April 2020

Today's Gospel:
John 3 1-6

There was one of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a leading Jew, who came to Jesus by night and said,
"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who comes from God, for no one could perform the signs that you do unless God were with him"
Jesus answered: "I tell you solemnly, unless a man is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said, "How can a grown man be born? Can he go back into his mother's womb and be born again?"
Jesus replied: " I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God; what is born of the flesh is flesh; what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised when I say you must be born from above. The wind blows wherever it pleases; you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. This is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit."

My thoughts:
I wonder firstly why Nicodemus wanted to visit Jesus in the first place. His words and actions had attracted him,maybe. He goes by night, telling me he is a bit frightened to show his interest in this popular leader. How long did he think about this meeting before he snuck out to find this man in the middle of the night.
I am with Nicodemus here. Sometimes I find it hard to admit in broad daylight my huge interest in Jesus, how much I love Him.  What will people think of me? Nicodemus says  some very complimentary things to Jesus. He recognizes that He comes from God.
But Jesus tells him that he needs to be born from above,  Born of the Spirit, before he can see the kingdom of God.
Again I need the same thing. This new birth. And every day. It is being born of the Spirit that will give me the courage to meet Jesus in the daylight. To live with Him and for Him in the joys and sorrows and little difficulties of my daily life. Being a Christian means staying close to the fire.
Come Holy Spirit live in me this day. Thank you Holy Spirit for coming to live in my heart.

Day 20 - The Transfiguration

20th Oct 2019

The Transfiguration

It was strange that day.
He took just the three of us with Him,
Peter, James and myself,
Up the mountain to pray.
We chatted as we followed,
What did He mean some of us would 
Not taste death before seeing the
Kingdom of God.
At the top of the mountain
He stopped to pray
All of a sudden
His face, His clothes became white, luminous
Shining like the sun.
We'd never seen anything like it.
Our eyes fixed on Him
Two men appeared, prophets,
Talking to Him - Moses, Elijah.
We, ordinary men, just fell
fell to our knees
in the presence of God's Glory
Then Peter, excited, exuberant, spoke,
He wanted desperately to stay in this moment
Make three tents, he said.
At that moment a cloud came and covered us
The hairs of our heads stood up
A voice from the cloud.
"This is my Son, the chosen one,
Listen to Him"
We could not speak
Peace came over us

Day 13 - Hugging a tree

13th Oct 2019

Hugging a tree?

We're on Day 13 of the OctPoWriMo challenge. I'm afraid the prompt, "Hugging a Tree" didn't do anything for me today.
So, what to post instead? OK, here goes: I have tried a Loop poem today . 

The Wood of the Tree.

Who, I wonder cut down the tree 

from where it lived 

lived in harmony with the others

until that day 

day and night it was kept in some 

place waiting

waiting for the time it was needed

its task to perform

perform it did the most perverse deed

of all time

time was getting near, they brought 

out the man

man above all men, he did not speak 

he took it

it was the cross that Jesus embraced 

for us, with love 

love brought him to his knees three

times in fell

fell in pain and sorrow with the weight 

of our sins

sins that we now feel our own deep 

sorrow for

for as surely as we are sinners we nailed

him to that tree.