Everyone in our family knows the importance of July 8- probably because we are reminded of that date at least once a week for the entire year. July 8 is the birthday of our youngest child, Britton…also known as “B.”

B loves his birthday. He talks about it often. Perhaps it comes with being the youngest of three children. July 8 is the single day that all the attention is on him. Nothing else is more important than the events of that day, as B decides where we’ll eat, what we’ll do and who we’ll invite to the festivities. On July 8th it’s all about B.

Or perhaps it’s the gifts. B talks about the objects of his desire all year long- wearing us down with constant reminders.

As Christians, we have the opportunity to celebrate a special series of events- and be thankful for a precious gift that we’ve been offered.

Luke 18: 31-33 Then He took the twelve and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise again.”

Jesus Christ sacrificed his body on the cross so that our sins might be washed away. He has established hope for eternal life with Him in heaven. Nothing we can do could ever repay this gift.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.  1 Peter 2:24

And so we should celebrate this moment…this event…this gift.

The birth,
the death,
and the resurrection on that 3rd day.

It’s even better than your birthday.

Let me know how I may pray for you this week.  God bless.

Reprinted and edited from July 2014.