Happy birthday… I mean, Happy Easter!

Okay so maybe my birthday isn’t until August, but every Easter I get to celebrate a different kind of birthday…

It was the day I became born again!

I don’t have a lot of vivid memories as a child in Kindergarten, but one that has stayed strong in my mind is the day I gave my heart to God and became a Christian.

I had just started at a Christian School and my Mum had decided to take my sister and I to church for Easter Sunday. The only other time I had ever been to church prior to that was for my own Christening as a baby. I don’t remember all the details of that Easter Sunday morning, but I can remember the room we were in for Sunday school, the little dioramas of Jesus’ tomb that we made out of cardboard boxes, plastic cups and a peg. Most importantly I remember being asked if I wanted to give my heart to the Lord. I don’t remember exactly what was said, but I remember knowing it felt right and that God made sense to me. I remember putting up my hand in response.

My life changed that day, but it wasn’t an instant change like you hear in other testimonies. It was a change of knowing I had God with me every day, and then a gradual journey of discovering what it means to be a follower of Jesus and living the life He wants for me. That’s why every Easter I get to think of it like a birthday! However, even if that wasn’t when I had been born again, Easter should still be thought of like a birthday, because Easter is when the church comes together to celebrate what God did on the cross through Jesus.

That powerful and historic event that is simultaneously horrific and beautiful is really the moment we all received new life.

It was not until much later that we may have made the decision to accept the love and forgiveness given to us freely. Even though many of us may not remember the day and the moment we made that decision (in fact for many Christians there was no single moment but rather a journey), we can all look to the cross and the crucifixion of our Saviour as the moment we were given new life.

On Good Friday we honour and remember what it cost for us to have forgiveness and new life, then on Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and our own new life we get to experience.

If you have never chosen to follow Jesus, if you’re wanting to experience God’s love and forgiveness, I want to encourage you to get your new birthday this Easter season! Find one of the many awesome churches that will be celebrating Easter and get connected. In fact you can even pray and give your life to God right now! If you don’t know where to start, check out the prayer.

If you are a Christian already, then Happy Birthday! Enjoy celebrating this Easter!

Dear Heavenly Father,

I’m sorry for the sin in my heart and my life. I’m sorry for living my own way instead of yours. I want to change that right now and ask for your forgiveness.

Thank you for sending your son Jesus to live as a man and die on the cross to take the punishment of death for my sins. Please come into my heart and my life and help me to live close to You with You in my life.

Thank you that just as Jesus was raised to life again on the 3^rd day, I can now experience new life here on earth and for eternity in Heaven with You.

Thank you for Your love,

In Jesus name,

Amen