I do not really enjoy most birthday
parties: people come together for food, give presents to whosoever’s birthday is
celebrated, and wish him or her a “Happy Birthday”. In Christian circles we
might add a short prayer, asking God to bless that person throughout the coming
year. Now, there is nothing wrong with good food, presents and prayers. But if
that is all there is, the occasion remains like a celebration of a rich harvest
without thanking the One who makes all things grow; it is like looking at
nature, marveling at the countless species of animals and plants without ever thinking
of the one who created them; like delighting in a symphony without honoring its
composer or like being impressed by a magnificent building without realizing that
there must be an architect who drew the plans. It sounds silly, but that is
exactly what we tend to do. We worship created things rather than the Creator!
David, the great king of Israel, had
a different perspective. He prayed:
“For you,
LORD, 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
Every birthday should be a Thanksgiving Day, an opportunity to thank God for creating an absolutely perfect, miraculous
human being, made in his own image, so precious to him that he gave his own son
to die on a cross in order to redeem us from the powers of darkness, pride and
evil that try to keep us from everything our souls long for - from the moment we are conceived until we die.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, angels
appeared in the sky, gave glory to God and challenged the shepherds in the
field to do so as well. I think that every birth is surrounded by great awe
and wonder in heaven, no matter whether the newborn is male or female, whether
it is Asian or Caucasian, born in or out of wedlock, into poverty or riches and
no matter whether it is born to Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Atheist or Buddhist
parents, may they live in Gaza or in China, on the Red Sea or the Black one: A
new soul, a unique personality with needs, dreams and a deep longing to be
loved and to love has been born!
Therefore, instead of just wishing each
other a “Happy Birthday", let us celebrate our birthdays by thanking God and
by worshipping Him, our maker, for giving us a brother/sister, friend,
neighbor, … - a gift He and we can delight in.
