June 23rd is the most special day on the calender for me, every year. Today it gains an extra-special significance.
June 23, 2000 was the day I died, was buried and risen, born again to a new life in Jesus Christ.
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:Romans 6:3-5
That day, fifteen years ago, marked the beginning of the second phase of my life. For the first fifteen years I was just a man, first safe under my Shepherd’s care, then a sheep who went astray through sin. Then, when I trusted Him (Mark 16:16), repented to Him (Acts 2:38), and confessed my faith in Him (Acts 8:36-37), I fulfilled His command to be immersed into Him (Galatians 3:27). From then on I’ve no longer been just a man; I’ve been a Christian. No longer was I a sinner, separated from God; from then on I’ve been a saint, placed by God into His sheepfold (Acts 2:47).
I came into this world from my mother’s womb on August 26th, 1984. But I came into my Father’s Kingdom, being born of the Spirit (John 3:3-5) on June 23rd, 2000. Today I welcome my third son, Joshua, into this world from his mother’s womb. We share a birthday. I like that.
As he grows, matures, stumbles and falls, it’ll be my job as his dad to help him reach his better birthday someday.
Leave A Comment