Birthdays

It’s Canada’s national birthday today and while I often speak about our country and God’s heart for us on this day, I thought I’d widen the focus a bit and consider birthdays.

The Bible helps us understand what God is like by using the idea of birth.

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.

Psalm 90:2

God had no beginning and has no end.  He is inviting us to find rest and peace in that constant presence and consistent character.  When all else fails, God will still be there.  From beginning to end God will be with us and will carry us through.

And then there is something very personal about God’s care for us that’s expressed through these words about our birth.

Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you!

Psalm 71:6

Even the best doctors do not have the kind of knowledge and deep care for us that our Loving Heavenly Father has.  God is always with us, always watching over us, always going before us, always aware of the very individual way we are created and the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

And it’s not just physical birth that is God’s consideration but spiritual rebirth that brings our relationship with Him alive for eternity.

He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5

He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

James 1:18

How grateful we are God, that just as new parents look at a newborn in their arms and are awe-struck, so You look at us.  You call us Your prized possession.  There’s a great depth to Your joy in our individuality and desire to have us develop a deep and lasting loving relationship with You. 

Thank You for creating us with Your Word, for giving us Jesus, Your true Word, to be our Saviour, and for sustaining us with Your Word moment by moment.  We want to live well both our natural birth identity and the personhood that our spiritual rebirth has brought alive.  Amen

Well, Happy Birthday Canada, but also may this be a day of celebrating our own birth and ongoing relationship with our Heavenly Father today.