John 3:1-9
PRAYER: God of purpose, be among us today as we ask the big questions. Be among us as we seek answers about – of all things – our purpose. Fill our hearts and minds with words of affirmation… with words that fill us with hope, and remind us without any doubt that you are calling us to greater things. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable to you, O God, my rock and my redeemer. Amen
For people who work in the financial industry who actually deal with investing and managing peoples’ portfolios, there are a series of licenses that they are required to obtain. I did work in the financial services industry, but I was on the technology side, so I never actually had any kind of fiduciary responsibility. And that’s a very good thing that I had no responsibility for other peoples’ portfolios.
But one day, my boss invited me to take a class so that I could take a Series 7 exam and actually become licensed. Well, it wasn’t so much an invitation so much as it was him telling me that the class starts on Monday and I need to be there.
Some people love that kind of work. Some people are good at that kind of work. I’m not one of those people. The class was so mind numbing and really had nothing to do with my actual job – the work I enjoyed doing. I kept wondering to myself, “Why am I here?” I remember just sitting there thinking about all the tasks I was falling behind on in my actual job while I listened to what amounted to drivel. Again… for some people, that sort of thing is exciting. And I’m happy for those people…
We all have times in our lives when we feel like we don’t know where we’re going. For some people, they may have landed their dream job only to discover that they hate it. Others dream of becoming parents, and then once they do, they find themselves feeling trapped and have a sense of suffocation. There’s no way to measure how many couples have gone into marriage with every intention of ‘til death do us part’, only to be searching for divorce lawyers later on. In seasons of change, we can begin to question our purpose. Why am I here? What is God doing in my life? What’s next for me? What would make my life feel meaningful? Sometimes people ask it this way: “What is my ‘calling?’” “What is my purpose?” These questions can feel overwhelming and even discouraging.
It’s possible that you may be in that place right now – that you may have a feeling of uncertainty, or that you’re missing your calling in life. This series is designed to help us all navigate these seasons of uncertainty and offer tools to help us discover our purpose.
God meets us in places of uncertainty and need. Asking questions and acknowledging our uncertainty allows us to discover what new thing God is up to in our lives. There are some themes from our reading that speak to those questions and uncertainties.
First: let’s acknowledge that questions are good. Sometimes, we trap ourselves into a mindset that we just have to accept our lot in life and not ask questions… not rock the boat. Nicodemus wasn’t afraid to ask hard questions, and Jesus answered them. Jesus’ response makes clear that change is a fundamental part of being in a renewed relationship with God. Jesus says that We are “born again.” Nicodemus struggles to understand what that means – and how you can be “born again” in the middle of your life. Verse 8 says, “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” It reminds us that our relationship with the Spirit of God leads us into new possibilities for ourselves and the world around us.
In our Christian faith, we sometimes think that we have to be certain of everything. We have to have all the answers. We think that salvation comes with it an unbreakable confidence that we are on the right path. But Jesus makes it clear that the life of faith is one open to constant change, reexamining, and transformation by the Holy Spirit. I think we make a terrible mistake when we dig our heels in and proclaim that the church as we knew it as children is what the church must continue to be today. When we decide that our faith life is unchanging, we’re not doing ourselves any favors.
It’s during those dark times, those low times that the spirit of change can be most fertile. I’ve shared many times about my experience on the train commuting home from a job that I hated. Having that moment of conviction, I don’t think, could have happened if everything was going incredibly well… if my job at the time was something that I actually enjoyed.
The fact that Nicodemus comes at night is symbolic in the text. It reminds us that we all have periods of darkness, uncertainty and unknowing. But the conversation he has with Jesus, in the darkness, shows us that Jesus meets us in those dark places and lights our path that we may find clarity. Growth so often happens in the dark. In fact, I think it’s true that our greatest growth happens in the dark. Asking the question, “Why am I here?” opens us up to God’s purpose for our lives.
Let’s remember that we should always be open to a new path. Most of us don’t like admitting that we don’t know where we are going. We might even feel embarrassed that we don’t know the answers. Central to Jewish interpretations of scripture is the process of asking questions. It’s called ‘midrash. Nicodemus models for us how asking questions is central to our relationship with God. Acknowledging what we don’t know opens us up to God’s grace, answers, and discovery. Nicodemus, who is likely a wealthy, educated man, seems certain that he knows what ‘birth’ means – and has a hard time understanding anything outside of it. Sometimes we must hold loosely what we think we know to embrace new understanding or direction.
Asking questions can open us up to God’s purpose for our lives. I want to invite you to reflect on some questions. Maybe one or more of these questions will resonate with you today. I want you to sit with that on your heart this week. Use the daily scripture reading list this week as a way of contemplating these questions:
Over the next several weeks, our On Purpose worship series will explore some of the more challenging questions we face in our lives. I want to invite you to embrace these questions as an invitation to discover what it is that God wants to do with the story of our lives right now. It may be true that most of here have less days ahead than we do behind us, but that does not change the fact that God has a purpose for us right here and right now. Today.
Think about where you may be feeling lost, in the dark, or without direction. What questions about life are you asking right now? It’s never too late to ask questions contemplating the direction of your lives in this or any season. It’s never a bad idea to ask God for clarity. How open would you be to something new? Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus reminds us / assures us that God creates us to ask these questions and wants to accompany us through them.
So, this week, I’d like you to take the list of readings that’s in your bulletin and practice Lectio Divina with it. Lectio Divina is a sacred / contemplative method of reading scripture. Each day, take the reading that’s listed for that day and open up your Bible. Make yourself comfortable, and before you start reading, just center yourself in a moment or two of silence. Take some deep breaths. Remove any distractions. When you’re ready, read the passage, and then close your eyes and contemplate the reading for a few minutes. Reflect in silence. Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you. Something in the reading that resonated with you. Maybe write that word or phrase down.
After a few minutes of that contemplation, read the passage a second time. Reflect in silence on what God may be saying to you through that word or phrase that spoke to your heart.
Finally, after a few minutes of that reflection, read the passage a third time, this time, reflecting on how God may be calling you to act through the word or phrase that spoke to your heart.
Asking the question, “Why am I here,” opens us up to God’s purpose for our lives.
And it goes deeper than our own individual lives… doesn’t it always go deeper than our own individual lives, because we are part of a community of faith. And all of those questions that we may ask about ourselves, can also be asked about us as a faith community.
We say things like “we are the body of Christ.” “We make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” What does that mean practically and how do we live it out? What do those questions say about our purpose as a community? Do we, as a church, stay open to the leading of the Spirit that blows where it will? Are we open to doing things differently so we can grow together as a church in our relationship with God?
I believe with every fiber of my being that God never calls us to simply be individual entities unto ourselves. We are called into community with one another. Our purpose as individuals is linked to our purpose as a community. And so, in your prayers and contemplation this week, as you discern purpose and listen for God’s voice, remember that we are called as a community. Listen for how God is calling us, how the Holy Spirit is pushing us toward being that community of faith that moves with intention.
Wherever you are on your faith journey, God provides clarity. There is a greater sense of purpose that is available to you, and through prayer and discernment, we can each gain a better understanding of what it means to be – not just your best self, but for us all to be the best possible community that we can be. And so, we move forward trusting in the One who calls us into relationship with God and one another. And we move forward with purpose… unafraid to ask God the big questions.
To God be the glory.
