I'm not real crazy about birthdays. All the attention surrounding birthdays just makes me feel a little uncomfortable. On my 17th birthday (at the height of what I'm sure was a daunting task — raising me as a teenager), I conjured a plan to divert my birthday attention and possibly win some brownie points in the process. I decided that all this birthday stuff was misguided. I didn't do anything in the act of birth and I sure wasn't responsible for the sacrifices made to care and protect me as a child. The real credit of a birthday lies with the parents. I sent my mother a large bouquet of flowers on my birthday with a card attached:

"Mom, I know today is supposed to be about me, but this day is really about you! Thanks for giving me life and everything that you have done to make my life great!"

The plan was a hit! I was able to turn all the birthday attention to my mom and earned quite a few brownie points in the process.

Could it be that our church suffers the same misdirection of attention that birthdays do? Ever feel like church has become too much about the people worshiping instead of the God being worshiped?

Make today the day that you focus your life back where it belongs. Let God know that even though the world says this life is about me, I know that it's really about you. Christ is the one that gives us life and He is the one that protects us.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1)

If you would like to talk to someone about how you can bring God back to the center in your life, please send me a message at skye@hopeforlife.org.

God Bless,

Skye Noe

Could it be that our church suffers the same misdirection of attention that birthdays do?




(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org)