HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

With a small amount of pride, I’d like to wish my daughter, Amanda, a Happy Birthday. With six children and nine-and-a-half grandchildren, many months include family birthday celebrations. Only three months ago, the world celebrated the birthday of the king, Jesus Christ. Now, during our recognition of Lent as we approach Easter, we as a nation are moaning under financial uncertainty. What short memories we all have! We praised God for the gift of Salvation through Jesus, only to say, “What are you doing for me now, God?”

We as Christians, do not base out religion on the death of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We base it on the resurrection of the Son of God on Easter Sunday and the promise that Christmas had foretold. Let us celebrate Christ’s birthday every day, with the same hope and promise and expectation that we experience during Advent. Also, we’re not Good Friday People. We are Resurrection, Easter People. Now, I remind you that we also need to live as Advent People, every day - full of joy and peace and light and color and hope and thanksgiving. The birthdays of family and friends can remind us of the precious gift of life, both in this world and the next. Yes, our finances have been rattled at this time. My friends, a great deal of what we think we need, is just fluff with no substance. Use these difficult times to focus on what is real, on helping others. Happiness is not a goal. Happiness is the by-product of the way we live our lives!

Happy Birthday, my friends, for you can be reborn each day, by the power of Jesus’s love that you accept from God and then share with others. Today and every day, is the beginning of a new life for all of us. Live responsibly, as joyous children of the Lord! Let us pray:

“Father, God, Holy, Holy, Holy is your name, not even spoken by our religious ancestors. May your throne be planted firmly on the solid ground of Christ’s promises that we hold in our heart. Oh what joy beyond speaking that we experience when we draw near to you. May your Holy Spirit direct our ways, not only during this time but always. We ask you Father, for your peace and joy. We lift up those who have lost their jobs and fear they will lose their homes. Place those in our path who need reassurance of your love and salvation so that we may be used by you to shine through our humanness and send rays of warmth and love and hope upon them. Forgive us when others only see our whining, our fear, our distrust, and our lack of stewardship of that which you have blessed us. We want to be Advent/Easter People, People of the Way. Give us strength and courage to be used by you, Lord. We don’t even want to know how or when, so that your presence may not be clouded by our pride. Thank you, thank you Father, for your son Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2009 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to his love. Let me tell you mine.”