Hello everyone. You all know I usually take a break from any regular series when I have a friend who has a birthday. So tonight, I’m going to take a break. However, the person who has the birthday is not a friend but is rather myself. I am celebrating today that X number of years ago I came into the world. I think about my old age and realize I can never say that about myself again. I have to use the new number now. I look back and think about all I’ve gone through over the years and that God has granted me the gift of existence.
This was what I spoke about at our church tonight, as we have Saturday night services in addition to our Sunday morning services. So, I did a message on what it means to exist. What is this great gift of existence? Frankly, I don’t think I can give a total answer yet. Existence is a wonderful gift, but something we don’t really know much about.
Consider a point of a pen or pencil for instance. That was how big you once were. Now where have you come to? How much you have changed! You were once that and now you are what you are. Throughout the years, God has shaped you and you’ve become the person that you are today.
Consider then also how much exists that you take for granted. I am a great might not have been. So are you. Anyone of us could not have been and if we had not been, none of us would ever realize that the other didn’t exist. We would have no concept of that person to miss. That any person exists in our life can be seen as a gift to us. Even a person we don’t like can be seen as a gift as maybe they can even show us the kind of person we don’t want to be.
Who are your friends? Who are your family? Do you take them for granted? I had friends over this evening and I realize that I had no guarantee when they said they were on the way over with a gift that that would mean they would reach me. Now I believed they would, but could I know that? Not at all. I am thankful they did and it teaches me that I shouldn’t take their being here for granted.
I also realize as a Christian that my existence will go on into the future. After I die, I will still exist somehow. This is true for all of us. We will spend forever somewhere. Our existence will not go away. Once he gives us this gift, he doesn’t take it away. It is up to us how we will spend eternity.
As for me, I would prefer to spend it in the blessed presence of the existent one. As we finish thinking about existence, let us remember that he is the one who is. He has described himself as “I AM.” Maybe we should realize that since that’s how he’s described himself, maybe he knows what he’s talking about. It might sound like a stretch, but it could be we need to listen to what God says about himself.
To all of those who wished me a happy birthday, I thank you greatly. Here’s to another year!
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