AS LONG AS POSSIBLE By Sally I. Kennedy

....you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord... Exodus 12:14

Do you like birthdays? I love my birthday. So much so that I don't even mind what the double digits are registering. Holidays are for everyone. But your birthday is YOUR day!

There is only one of you. That is something to celebrate! My friends know how much I love my birthday; before it ever arrives they call to arrange a lunch or something. If I can stretch it out for a few days, that is good. The whole month is even better!

Actually I have two birthdays. First, the day my mother gave birth to me physically. Second, the day I was born spiritually. You might know the date precisely, or, you might "just know".

A conversation Nicodemus had with Jesus when he sneaked over in the cloak of darkness, went like this: Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born. Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:3-8)

Here's the good news: every one of us can have two birthdays. If we believe in our hearts, and confess with our mouths, that Jesus is Lord, we are "born a second time". We can celebrate that every single day of the year. And how about this: we can celebrate as long as we live, then even longer! As long as possible, with God - eternity and forever.

That is definitely good news.