Born Again

It was nineteen degrees in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday, February 4,1965, the day I was born. My mother tells me that during her labor, I made the decision to turn around after entering the birth canal. I am not sure if I was attempting to get into a posterior position or transverse lie but this caused the doctors concern and my mother extreme pain. One could say that I had my own plans from the very beginning. I am extremely glad that God is sovereign and regardless of my plans, He has absolute power and supreme authority. At the beginning of my life on this earth, God used the wisdom of the obstetrician to turn me around and allow for a successful birth. For that, I am grateful. Every day, I am grateful that God remains in control of my life and works “all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). 

I praise God for His great mercy toward me and the knowledge that He chose me, gives me purpose, and made it possible for me to be born again. I am a recipient of this great gift without having to do anything other than accept His Son Jesus, as my personal Lord and Savior. Because I am born again, I have a living hope because Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead. Because He lives, I can experience life abundantly on earth and will live eternally with Him. 

In 1 Peter 1:3, the apostle gives thanks to God for access to regeneration and the promise of future glory because of the resurrection of Jesus. Here, Peter used the Hebrew word “blessed” differently than other Gospel writers. Matthew used the word that is interchangeable with happy (Matthew 5:3-12) and Luke used the word which implies favor received (Luke 1:28, Luke 1:42). Peter, like King David in Psalm 100:3, used the form of the word, “blessed” which is translated “speaking well of”, this form of the word is consecrated to God and God alone (Mark 14:61, Romans 9:5, 2 Corinthians 11:31). Peter gives God praise and spoke well of The Father because of His abundant mercy toward us. 

I am blessed beyond measure to be born from above, begotten again (John 3:3, 1 Peter 1:20). I have been made brand new! Once I accepted Christ, I was completely changed, I became a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15). I have been changed from my natural being to a spiritual being with the Holy Spirit living within. Before salvation, I was dead inside with nothing to live for nor look forward to. Because of the great gift of salvation and regeneration, I now have a living hope-everything to look forward to. Peter uses the Greek term for hope which means confident, eager expectation. This living hope is active and alive in me. My living hope is Jesus the Christ. 

Because I am born again, my hope is anchored in the past-Jesus arose from the dead (Matthew 28:6); continues in the present-He is alive and lives within through His Spirit (Colossians 3:1) and will be encountered in the future-Jesus is coming back for His children (John 5:24, 1 Corinthians 15:23). This living hope I have is undefiled, unfading, imperishable, and kept in heaven for me. It will never be faded by time, touched by death, or stained by evil. It is guarded by God The Father and preserved in heaven. It is rock solid and completely secure. Absolutely nothing can take it away from me. 

The weather forecast for February 4 this year is projected to be a little warmer than it was in 1965. Changes in the weather are predicated upon three factors, light, water and temperature. In scripture the number three not only refers to The Trinity but also means growth and reproduction. Accepting Jesus, the second person of the Triune God, results in change in your life and mine. As I journey through my fifty-eighth year of life and my forty-sixth year as a Believer in The Lord Jesus Christ, I am determined to yield to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. I will live an obedient, principled, and purposeful life. I will live in incorruptible joy, anticipating all that God has for me. I will lay down my will and embrace His Will. Like John, the disciple of love, Paul the disciple of faith, and Peter the disciple of hope, I will gratefully embrace Christ’s love for me and give Him praise each day for the privilege of being born again. 

I invite you Under the Church Hat for this month’s exercise: 

Write out a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God for the privilege of being born again. Read/recite your prayer every day this month.

In less than 250 words, describe how you know Jesus has made you a new creation.

Describe the ways you have experienced living hope in your past, present and expectant future in less than 250 words. 

Share your rebirth story with at least three people this month and pray for their salvation.

Chose a passage of scripture from this devotion to meditate on throughout the month.