Are you Nicodemus?

Shackled by a heavy burden, beneath a load of guilt and shame. Then the hand of Jesus touched me, now I am no longer the same. He touched me, oh He touched me, and oh the joy that floods my soul. Something happened and now I know, He touched me and made me whole.

Today I celebrate my spiritual birthday. 9 years ago today Jesus rescued me and saved my soul. It's been quite a journey looking back. Along the way I have doubted, I deviated, I have stumbled, and fallen; but I am thankful to be able to tell you today that I know that I know I am saved. Not just because I can look back on this date, but because of what the last post covered. It's a covenant relationship. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
My testimony continues to change because God continues to change me. Over the last 9 years I have faced difficult circumstances, choices, and changes of all kinds. I'm thankful that I can look at this day last year and see that since then I have grown even more as a Christian.
As I sit here and reflect on my past, somewhat and think about my Savior the story of Nicodemus comes to mind. We find his story over in John 3:1-15.

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This 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." 3Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4Nicodemus 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?" 5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
9Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 10Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11Truly, 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. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Nicodemus was a highly respected Jewish Pharisee, one of the prominent members of the high council. He was intrigued by the authority of Jesus and the miracles he was doing. Nicodemus was wanting to find out who he really was. Jesus challenged him with the need to be born again, if he wished to be in the Kingdom of God. While the gospel doesn't give us Nicodemus' response, we read later on in the gospel of John that he strongly argued that Jesus should have a fair trail (7:50). After Jesus was crucified, he bought expensive perfume ointment for Jesus' burial, and even assisted Joseph of Arimathea in burying Him (19:39-42). In a sense, Nicodemus appears to be an example of a Jewish Pharisee who came to believe in Jesus and was willing to express that commitment publicly after Jesus' death.
In this passage of scripture the words "born again" are the Greek words, "anagennao", "anonthen gennao." These two related concepts mean to be born again signifying a change from one state of being into another. Rather than a physical change, a person's spirit is renewed or comes alive by the work of the Holy Spirit.
I love what 1 Peter 1:3 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..." When we become born again believers by accepting Jesus as our Savior, we have an "ever living hope" in our hearts. The same hope that I believe made Job cry out, "I know my Redeemer Lives!" That was the only hope Job had to hold onto; it's all we have to hold onto.
When we are born again we do not belong to this earth anymore. John 3:31 proclaims, "He Who comes from above (heaven) is [far] above all [others]; he who comes from the earth belongs to the earth, and talks the language of earth [his words are from an earthly standpoint]. He Who comes from heaven is [far] above all others [far superior to all others in prominence and in excellence]."
Friend, do you know Jesus? Are you a Nicodemus in search of answers? I'll share my spiritual birthday with you. Don't reject God's calling. A relationship with Jesus is so personal. Just look at the picture of Him and Nicodemus talking, that's how it feels, you might not be able to see him, but He is there, and you can feel Him. Let Him touch you today just like He touched me 9 years ago today, and still touches me. You'll never be the same!
Because He lives......