Welcome to this week's blog. Today let's focus on what the Bible says about our birthday! Birthdays seem like an unusual topic for me, right? But not this week, as this upcoming week my husband, and I will be celebrating our birth days by rejoicing in the gift of life that we’ve been so graciously blessed with by our Heavenly Father. Even though these are two individual days to celebrate the gift of life; more importantly, we continue to celebrate the gift of life, every day.
Birthdays, what does God have to say about birthdays? What does scripture say about celebrating this day? Should the moment or the day we come into this world be significant or relevant to who we are? Should the exact hour in which we arrive, and the year we arrive relevant in the eyes of God? The truth is, there is nowhere in the Bible where God tells us how important our birth days are to Him.
So, if not biblical, where then did birthday celebrations originate? "The astonishing answer is from the pagan practice of astrology! Thousands of years ago, when men looked up into the night sky and charted the stars, they invented calendars and calculated the birth dates, to the very hour, of kings, rulers and their successors. These ancient pagan astrologers meticulously examined horoscopes and birthday omens because they believed that the fate of the rich and powerful might affect an entire society. Even to this day, men have been putting their trust in horoscopes instead of God."
This further explains and confirms why we can’t find birthdays as God’s instructions in the Bible. And birthdays are not even the least bit one of His commandments or instructions for celebration of one’s self. God cares nothing of astrology, horoscopes, superstitions, how the stars and planets align or any other omens man himself has conjured up to explain birthdays. Proverbs 3:5-6 says this, Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV).
I know one thing is for sure, science did not date stamp when I was to arrive on this earth, nor could science ever predict the day or the hour I would arrive. All of creation, and the timing of creation belongs to God, not science! Every living, and breathing being that roams the earth was predestined by God. Exactly why we are not a mistake, but a part of God’s ultimate plan.
Both our birth day, and our death day are preordained, and predetermined by God. I truly believe we are not born, nor do we perish by chance or by error. I believe in the beginning (Genesis), God not only created the heavens and the earth, and all the birds of the sky, and all the animals of the sea, but He also created human beings to live among the other animals of the earth. Therefore, God did plan each of our birth days, right down to the miraculous, biological, and genetic experience of child birth. A “mother with child,” is God’s intentional, deliberate and thought out plan. According to Genesis, when God created Adam and Eve, and they lived perfectly, and sinless in the garden of Eden, God instructed them to love each other as man and woman, and to be fruitful. In order to be fruitful, God designed a woman to bear child, and yet another one of God’s perfect and flawless plans. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born, she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. – John 16:21 (NIV).
God is the one who designed the creation of each of us, and to live for a short time in our mother’s womb. God’s intricate detail of child birth was, again, intentional and purposeful in the eye of the Lord. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. – Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV).
For me, birth days are taking on an entirely new shape. In my research, I found that throughout the entire Bible, there are only three birthday celebrations, on three separate occasions. And, in each case, something dreadful happened at those birthday parties. Sinful acts that God did not condone. These three biblical accounts of birthday parties bear further examination in scripture:
1. Genesis 40:1-23 (NIV)
2. Matthew 14:3-11 (NIV)
3. Job 1:4-5, 6-13, 18-19 (NIV)
The older and wiser I become, I would like to think birth days are a celebration of one’s wonderful and blessed life. Without allowing worldly ways to consume us, birthdays are a time to remember that God’s gift of life is the greatest gift of all, and that every single life is precious.
I always thank my God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Corinthians 1:4 (NIV).
I believe God reflects through biblical scripture how important it is to take time to remember Him on our birth day. And not just one day, but every day. We are to give Him thanks and glory for what He’s done for us. We should be honoring and praising Him, more than honoring and praising ourselves. It has always been God’s plan to keep us humble, and not self-centered.
In God’s eyes, this is a reflection, and a time to thank Him for all that He has given us, and it’s a time to look forward to what He has planned for our futures. I have found sufficient Bible verses regarding birthdays to not only help us get into this new, insightful idea, but to also express meaningful, and cheerful birthday wishes with family and friends. But the more important point I want to stress here, is the celebration of life, and proclaiming who our perfect, and wonderful creator is, God.
But let’s also not forget, God provides us with blessings every day, not just on our one special day of the year. The Bible forever reminds us that He has never left our side, regardless of our age — so as you or your loved ones celebrate birth days, remember to share the Lord’s unwavering love God has for each of us first, above all. Because for us, it is truly the best “present” anyone could ever ask for.
I believe the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. The following Bible verses should remind us of how much He loves us, and the presents, and His presence He gives us every day.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. – Psalm 91:11 (NIV).
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. – Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV).
However, many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all. But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many. Everything to come is meaningless. – Ecclesiastes 11:8 (NIV).
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10 (NIV).
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! – Luke 1:45 (NIV).
But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. – Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV).
God does desire His children to celebrate life plentifully. But not a celebration of “self,” but a celebration of God’s wonderful and perfect creation of life, so that we may live life to the fullest without conforming to the pagan ways of the world.
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. – Psalm 20:4 (NIV).
Blessings until next week,
Debra M. Pauli
Unstoppable Believer
Scripture Quotes: Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV) / New King James (NKJ)
Are Birthday Celebrations Christian? https://rcg.org/articles/abcc.html
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