Others may try to hide their birthday, prefer people not to know. But we all have one, to celebrate if we want to.
Other cultures celebrate their own way, or not at all, Some religions ban the celebration, maybe because they feel it dishonours their god.
If you mark the day, how do you celebrate? In our little family, my children as they were growing up had some type of get together with their friends whether it was a party or going out together tenpin bowling when they were five, 10, 13, 16 or 18 years of age. All the other years we just celebrated together as a family with their favourite meal and presents, not a big deal but an acknowledgement that yet another year had passed.
Very soon we will be taking a day off for the birthday of the King of England; of course, it’s not his real birthday, which is in November, but it is a day to honour our head of the Commonwealth.
I personally did not have a party to celebrate — not even at school — until I was 30. A friend hosted a surprise party for me probably because I kept saying “I'm not 30, I haven't had a 21st.” My birthday was often combined with Christmas celebrations — that's what happens to December babies.
Talking of Christmas, that in itself is a birthday celebration again; not the real date, as it is unknown, and there are so many estimations of when it might have been.
The importance though is what we are celebrating, and that is the birth of another king; not the King of England but The King! And that is the Lord Jesus Christ.
But I want to tell you of another birthday, celebrated recently by Christians around the world. That is the birth of the Church itself.
We call it Pentecost, which means fiftieth. Fifty days after Easter, when Jesus died and rose again.
During the Jewish Feast of Weeks, The Holy Spirit came over the disciples of Jesus; this was God empowering the followers of Jesus to spread the good news of who he is and the freedom he brings.
A well-known verse of the Bible is the essence of this Good News.
The book of John, chapter 3 verse 16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (NIV).
God loves you and wants to spend eternity with you. If you want to know, more connect with a local Christian church.
Barbara Kissell
Campaspe Shire Salvos ministry assistant
9°C