Happy Birthday Jesus!

How old are you anyway?

I was at a Christmas service one time when the preacher was literally heckled from the congregation after he mentioned (with all kinds of authority) that Jesus was born in September, not on December 25th as we annually celebrate. The preacher stood quietly as his congregation got almost heated in their divisiveness - one man shockingly shouting that it would be witchcraft to assume Christ was born under any Zodilogical sign - another stating boldly that the wisemen couldn't have possibly have made the trek in the time limits he had been taught as a kid.

From another corner of the auditorium a woman stood up and asked if she could make a point. The preacher smiled and nodded, then she went on to say that the calendars that we use in our eras were not those used in the beginning of recorded births, and that the fact that Jesus was born in a foreign country that didn't record births at all, made it virtually impossible to pinpoint the exact date; however, she stated the stars were clearly out, the Governor of Rome had made it clear that males be counted by a certain time, and that the new year for Jews was going to be taken in a few days after the birth...and therefore, it must have been in April. APRIL?

I wasn't impressed by any of it, because Jesus Himself (with God of course) MADE TIME, made the stars, made the decision to come to our Earth to save US. So, whether or not Jesus was born in B.C. 04 as some say, or 00 as other say, or whether he was born in any of the 12 months given...because Israel at that "time" had 13, it doesn't matter. He was born. The preacher said very little after all the fuss. He raised his candle, lit it from an eternal candle that was burning in the auditorium, and he said "Happy Birthday Jesus, and thanks for the lively discussion about your life. We never have to question your love!" Be blessed on His day...and since every day is His...be blessed always.