Loved, Chosen and Celebrated By God Himself!

“At last, the baby began to crown, and with him came the fulfillment of his parents’ wishes. Five years of barrenness, five years of bitter arguments—this baby would put it all in the past. He would bring pride to the family, reap a dowry from his bride and help provide for the family. He would restore his family’s joy. As the baby took his first breaths, however, something wasn’t right and hopes built up over the last nine months quickly died away. Their little boy turned out to be a little girl and that was nothing to celebrate.”

We celebrate this week the birth of our first grandson. As I read these words from an article about life in another country, I remember my own time of carrying our first baby. I was determined it would be a boy. But I also remember as they handed her into my arms immediately after she was born the feeling of utter joy. “Aw”, “It’s a little girl!” I spoke with worn out breath. Whisking her off to the nursery I was glad that I had brought two outfits, for back then you didn’t know what you were having until they were born. Even when the second child was born a girl, the then new and untried ultrasounds and the technician had said boy. We did have a boy eventually, in God’s time, after we were through having babies.  But each and every child was and is loved, prayed for and a blessing to our life. No mistakes, no regrets, all from God special delivery to us.

For most of us the idea of having a healthy baby is all we care about. We count the fingers and toes and marvel at God’s handiwork. Others have grown up knowing they weren’t exactly what was wanted.  Or perhaps after the birth they may feel cast aside or unwanted for other reasons. They too feel the sting of “nothing to celebrate”.   Even though your childhood may have been great, as an adult you may have heard the rejection and the lack of fellowship. It could be your siblings, your spouse, your parents, your church, your friends. If we are not careful, any time rejection comes we take that on as the truth. What we perceive as truth is lived out in our hearts and minds. Pretty soon we live as a reject, believing that we are indeed “nothing to celebrate” at all.

Oh beloved, today is your day! It may not be your birthday but it’s a new day! It’s time to celebrate you! No matter what your past looks like, no matter who has spoken negativity over your life, you are indeed SOMETHING to celebrate! In Christ, you have been born again of blood that will never perish. You have the mind of Christ to combat the lies that hound you.  You have the Holy Spirit within you to keep you looking at yourself through God’s eyes. Today is your day – to be all that God says you are. You are indeed special delivery to the world from God Himself, your Abba Father. How you entered this life is irrelevant when you remember you are meant to live for His glory!

God indeed has a plan for your life and you are beginning today to say no to the past and yes to the future! You can’t change what others say, what you have said or what the enemy has spoken over you in the past. But you can change everything today by giving your day to Jesus! What He says about you is the truth – you were loved and cared for and created for such a time as this. Your destiny is beyond even the best of your thinking and especially beyond the worst of your thoughts about yourself.

Reach out to Jesus, put Him in front of you, wrap Him around you and walk in faith with Him as you learn to live loved, live celebrating and share with others how He has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light!

John 10:10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (Amplified)

John 1:16 For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift. (Amplified)

 1 Thessalonians 1:4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;

 2 Corinthians 1:2 Grace (favor and spiritual blessing) to you and [heart] peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). (Amplified)