Happy Birthday!

My wife, Claudia, has a birthday tomorrow, and so I thought I'd take a few minutes to talk birthdays. (By the way she's the cute blonde girl about to blow out her candles.- Just joking, my love. [Those of you that don't receive the pictures I send won't be seeing this young lady.])

Some of us like birthday celebrations, and enjoy the special attention of friends and family that comes with them once a year (My wife, Claudia, is in this category). Others of us are party poopers, sticks-in-the mud, and various other labels used by the birthday celebrators to describe those of us that for the most part would just as soon not be surrounded by a crowd of crepe paper hanging, balloon tying, candle lighting well wishers when our time of the year comes around. :)

I actually do love having friends and family around when I can take the time to enjoy their company, and don't feel like I have to 'work the crowd'. But as the years have gone by I've gotten more sentimental and much more appreciative of those brothers and sisters in Christ that are there for me through the hard times, and any excuse to be around them is okay by me.

The Bible does address this whole matter of special days in Romans 14 (it was likely dealing with sabbath keeping and holy days in the New Testament church):

One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
(Rom 14:5-8)

The important thing for us to ask ourselves on any special occasion is what exactly are we celebrating? Are we simply celebrating life, or are we celebrating life IN CHRIST? When Jesus Christ come through the door, eternal life comes through the door. Now we are no longer celebrating what could be our last time together, but we are celebrating an eternal fellowship that is ours to enjoy in Him FOREVER!

So whatever the occasion, do your best to glofiy Christ in the midst of it. Then there will be plenty to rejoice in for everyone present, as whether we have a particular attraction of affinity for special days, or not, we should all have a particular attraction and affinity for Jesus Christ at work IN US and THROUGH US.

After all, He redeemed us to purify unto Himself, a particular people, zealous of doing His work here on earth (Titus 2:14).

I LOVE JESUS, YES I DO, I LOVE JESUS, HOW ABOUT YOU?

Yours in Him,

Pastor B.