Birthdays

Ever wonder about birthdays? What are they really? I have, especially today, which is my birthday, well, one of my birthdays. I have two - my human birth to my mother and father here on earth and my spiritual birth to my Heavenly Father. Today is my human birth.

I've wondered about my conception, how two people themselves had to be born, meet, marry and conceive me. I've thought about how these events had to be orchestrated. I've thought about how I'm one of the fortunate ones who was conceived by a married couple and who wasn't aborted.

In this birth, I had no choice to be born. With this birth I have life here on Earth and the assurance that I will have tribulation. (John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.")

How wonderful it was when I realized that it was God who had formed me and was God who had a plan for me! (Psa 139:13 For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb.) (Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.)

Without knowing it, the Holy Spirit had been by my side nudging me along -- my conscience, showing me what was right and what was wrong, convicting me of my sin. It was with this help that there came a day when I was able to see the need for Christ in my life. A day that I knew I had offended God and that I needed God. There was no way that I could make up for the hurt I had caused him and no way that I could continue life as I was living it. I had come to a point where I knew that I needed Christ. Christ to pay for my sins and Christ to show me a better way of living.

So at church service, when I heard the pastor do the "altar call", I went forward. I stood in front of a crowd of people and asked Jesus to forgive me of my past sins and to become the owner of my heart and life.

That day is my second birthday and it had to be entirely my choice. With this birth, I have life eternal in Paradise (Joh 3:15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.) and forgiveness of sins (Mat 26:28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.), I have assurance of salvation (Heb 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.) and I believe it is the day I became truly born, truly alive and truly free to be the person God intended me to be.

I thank you Lord (Dad) for both of my birthdays - the one that gave me life and the one that gives me forgiveness and an eternity with you!