January 5, 2009

A Special Day in History

I stumbled upon a couple of interesting web sites today. They both afford you the opportunity to review the events in history that occurred on any given day (history.com and scopesys.com). I chose my birthday and had some fun reviewing who was born or died on that day and what historical events were occurring then.

For example, on October 16th in 1869, a hotel in Boston was the first hotel in the United States to have indoor plumbing. Chuck Colson and the actor Tim Robbins were both born on my day. Apparently Marie Antoinette died on October 16th. In Jamaica, they celebrate National Heroes Day on my birthday. And in 1934, the Chinese Communists began their long march through the Nationalist enemy lines on my special day.

The truth is, our birthdays are the most special day in our year. It is the one day of celebrating that we do not share with everyone else in our community. Christmas is shared all over the world. Independence Day is honored all around America. The World Series is shared with thousands of other baseball fans. But our birth date is ours and ours alone.

And the amazing thing is that God takes special delight in the birth of His children. He starts by declaring that He knew us before we were born (Jer. 1:4-5). He says He chose us as He was planning creation (Eph. 1:11-12). He determined the time of our birth (Acts 17:26). He put us together in our mother’s womb (Ps. 139:13). He made sure we were made in His image (Gen. 1:27). He calls us His offspring (Acts 17:28) and assures us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14).

And to sum up all the reasons we should be thrilled to celebrate our birth, He asserts that we “live and move and have our being” in Him (Acts 17:28).

Today might not be your birthday, but it is a great opportunity to celebrate your life. You see, God does not make any mistakes. He gave us life as a special act of creation. He chose us and made us His own. He redeemed us so that we could find life in a personal relationship with Him and Him alone.

Our date of birth is special because He has made us special.

So today is a great day to review the activities that have occurred on your birthday….the most important of which center around the grace of God that gave YOU life. Celebrate it! Use your life for His glory!

Regards in Christ,
Sherry L. Worel
Stoneybrooke Christian Schools