But do we remember to thank God on our birthdays? Do we forget that He is the one who even keeps us alive, plus gives us everything else in our lives?
Psalms 67:19 says, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation."
I was reading more about this concept of birthdays in context of this verse and came upon something interesting. Sons and Daughters of God, page 152 comments on this idea of birthdays.
"Under the Jewish economy, on the birth of children an offering was made to God, by His own appointment. Now we see parents taking special pains to present gifts to their children upon their birthdays; they make this an occasion of honoring the child, as though honor were due to the human being....For life, health, food, and clothing, no less than for the hope of eternal life, we are indebted to the Giver of all mercies; and it is due to God to recognize His gifts, and to present our offerings of gratitude to our greatest benefactor. These birthday gifts are recognized in heaven."
Yes that's what we do today don't we? We give gifts and praise to that person having the birthday as if they are truly the one to celebrate about. But we must remember all gratitude and praise goes to God - not to anyone else.
What if we used our birthdays to give back some amount of offering to God in gratitude for all He's done for us? What a blessing that would be to us and to God's work also!
"If Christian parents had accustomed their children to present offerings to God in acknowledgment of His great gift of salvation to men, how different would be the character of the young. Their minds would have been called away from themselves to the blessed Saviour. They would have been taught to feel that He loved them, and that He is the source of all blessing; that He is their hope of happiness and eternal life."
I heard of one young boy who did this. When his birthday came, he decided that instead of having a big part and lots of presents for himself, he would have a simple meal and tell people to bring money instead of a gift and he would give that money to a mission project. That young boy raised almost $500! What a blessing to the mission work!
"If this kind of education had been given to our children, we should today see far less selfishness, far less envy and jealousy; we should have more manly young men and womanly young women. We should see the youth coming up with moral strength, with pure principles, with well-balanced minds and lovely characters, because the Model would be ever before them; they would be impressed with the importance of copying the excellence of Jesus, the Pattern.... God wants the youth and those of mature age to look to Him, to believe in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, and to have Him abiding in the heart; then a new life will quicken every faculty of the being. The divine Comforter will be with them, to strengthen them in their weakness, and guide them in their perplexity.... It will make plain to them the path of life."
This is the kind of children we want to raise! This is the kind of young person we want to be! Let's seek in all we do to bring all the praise and gratitude back to God even in our birthdays!
Yes that's what we do today don't we? We give gifts and praise to that person having the birthday as if they are truly the one to celebrate about. But we must remember all gratitude and praise goes to God - not to anyone else.
What if we used our birthdays to give back some amount of offering to God in gratitude for all He's done for us? What a blessing that would be to us and to God's work also!
"If Christian parents had accustomed their children to present offerings to God in acknowledgment of His great gift of salvation to men, how different would be the character of the young. Their minds would have been called away from themselves to the blessed Saviour. They would have been taught to feel that He loved them, and that He is the source of all blessing; that He is their hope of happiness and eternal life."
I heard of one young boy who did this. When his birthday came, he decided that instead of having a big part and lots of presents for himself, he would have a simple meal and tell people to bring money instead of a gift and he would give that money to a mission project. That young boy raised almost $500! What a blessing to the mission work!
"If this kind of education had been given to our children, we should today see far less selfishness, far less envy and jealousy; we should have more manly young men and womanly young women. We should see the youth coming up with moral strength, with pure principles, with well-balanced minds and lovely characters, because the Model would be ever before them; they would be impressed with the importance of copying the excellence of Jesus, the Pattern.... God wants the youth and those of mature age to look to Him, to believe in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, and to have Him abiding in the heart; then a new life will quicken every faculty of the being. The divine Comforter will be with them, to strengthen them in their weakness, and guide them in their perplexity.... It will make plain to them the path of life."
This is the kind of children we want to raise! This is the kind of young person we want to be! Let's seek in all we do to bring all the praise and gratitude back to God even in our birthdays!
