Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

The wind is at once a mysterious and powerful force in our lives. We can’t see it, but we can see its impact on the things it touches. We can’t hold it, but we can harness it in some very productive ways.

I was flying kites yesterday with my kids, on a very windy day in Idaho. It was actually perfect kite-flying weather. As I was flying these kites, I noticed some interesting things: First, the wind blowing my kite way up in the air forced me to look to the heavens and be amazed at God’s creation. Second, some of the wind’s power was in some way harnessed by the kite, but it really took the kite wherever it wanted it to go. Third, if you get the kite up in the air a bit, deep into the wind, so to speak, it flies a lot better. If it is barely off the ground, it will not stay flying for long. Fourth, when the wind decides to die down and go away, the kite returns to the ground. And fifth, the colorful kites up in the air bring a lot of smiles and joy to those on the ground.

In the verses in John 3, Jesus is comparing the work of the Holy Spirit to the wind. Just like a kite, if I follow Jesus I am under the authority of the Holy Spirit. He can take me where he wants me to go. But while living on this earth, like a person holding the kite string, I am bound to experience the Holy Spirit within its confines. The Holy Spirit also provides the power for me to fly spiritually, soaring to places in life I could never go on my own. Others marvel and are brought joy when they see me flying by the Holy Spirit’s power, and they become curious — could they fly like this too?

When I decided to go fly kites, I had to act quickly. It turned out that the wind was around for only about one hour. In a similar way, being born of the Spirit means we have to hold loosely to our plans and schedules. He may call on us to serve, care for, or help others in ways we are gifted, and we have to be able to be spontaneous, at times.

Many great adventures are to be had with God’s Spirit in charge of my life. He leads me into the unknown with confidence because HE KNOWS THE UNKNOWN FUTURE that I do not see.  

Will I surrender to the spontaneous work of God’s Spirit and live a life soaring with him, like a kite in the wind?

Thanks, my Father, for helping me see that you want me to soar in the future unknowns of life with your Spirit providing the power and direction for me! Help me to seek after your Spirit each day and to be watchful for his lead.