Happy Birthday
1 Samuel 1:9-20
Every person has a day on the calendar marked as their “Birth Day.” Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do we celebrate birthdays?” I believe it is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and thank God for the birthday person. God created us in His image, and we should treasure the uniqueness, value, and incredible worth of one another (Genesis 1:27).
The story of Samuel's birth and life in the Hebrew Scriptures reminds us that God has a purpose and plan for each of our lives. Hannah had not conceived a child and cried to the Lord in the Tabernacle at Shiloh.
Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if You will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer, and give me a son, then I will give him back to You. He will be Yours for his entire lifetime.”
- 1 Samuel 1:10-11
Hannah prayed for a child. The Lord knew her heart’s desire and heard her prayers, yet He had a bigger plan for this child. Samuel was to be a strong, godly leader during an important transition in Israel’s history. God would use him to lead His people.
And in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”
- 1 Samuel 1:20
In Sunday School, we heard the account of Samuel’s birth and early life. The teacher taught us that his mother had prayed for a son, and he was a gift from the Lord. We were told that Hannah celebrated his life each year with the gift of a new small coat.
But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest. Each year, his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice.
- 1 Samuel 2:18-19
Samuel’s birth and life should encourage our hearts. God set the perfect time for his birth and had the perfect plan for his life. Likewise, the Lord has established your specific birthday and designed you for a unique purpose. Do you struggle to believe those words?
We become God's children when we receive His free gift of salvation … created for His purpose and God’s glory!
For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are His children, we are His heirs. Together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory.
- Romans 8:16-17
Head to Heart
Celebrating birthdays is a good thing. The celebration allows us to recognize God’s gift of life and honor the gifts and abilities of others.
Take time to consider and reflect on these Bible verses:
Jeremiah 31:3 – You are loved with an everlasting love.
Isaiah 41:10 – Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Psalm 37:23 – The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him.
Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
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