When is Your Second Birthday?

Do you remember the birthday parties of your childhood, old black and white photos of little friends wearing party hats, blowing paper horns, and eating cake and ice cream?  In those days, parties were often a dress up affair, little girls in brightly colored dresses with white anklet socks and black patent leathers, boys in suit coats, Sunday best shoes, and little bow ties.  And always, there was Pin the Tail on the Donkey!

I still remember my vanilla birthday cakes from our town bakery, with little paper clowns surrounded by candles in red, yellow, and blue. Homemade punch was usually served from a large glass punch bowl, and balloons were always floating about the room. My little friends would come and watch me open gifts they had brought before we all dove in to play with the new toys and games.

When we are born again into the family of God, accepting Christ as Savior and giving Him our life, we have a new birthday, a spiritual birthday marking the day of our decision. Some will say that they were so young they don’t remember the day; others may say that they have trusted Christ for so long they do not remember the exact day. But it is good to know when that eternal decision was made because being born again is the only assurance we have of seeing God and being welcomed into His Kingdom:

Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

The best gift of all is eternal life, to know that you have accepted Jesus Christ and received His forgiveness in your life. This is the rebirth that the Apostle John wrote about. When is your second birthday? If you have not made the decision to follow after Christ, make today the day!