Starck's Birthday Meditation and Prayer

Believing Christians Praise God on the Return of Their Birthdays.

EXHORTATION.

What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? Psalm 116:12

The return of the day when we first beheld the light of this world, our birthday, ought to be a day of praise and thanksgiving. We should spend it singing and praying, and with devotional exercises in thought and act. We should, in particular, reflect on the many and great blessings that we have received from the hand of our faithful God throughout the days of our life up to the present moment. He has carried us in His arms in childhood, in youth, to the present hour. Unbelievers do not consider these things. True, they remember the day and celebrate it, but how? Only with partying and such. A day thus spent doesn’t deserve to be called a day of thanksgiving and praise, a day pleasing to God.

When the children God live to see their birthday year after year, they praise the faithfulness and goodness of God. (1) He had them to be born of Christian parents, who brought to them to the knowledge of salvation in Jesus Christ. (2) He has given them a healthy body and sound mind, great blessings of God, though rarely acknowledged as so by human beings. (3) He has guarded them against misfortune, rescued them from dangers, and preserved them up to the present.

At the same time, (4) they humbly ask for forgiveness of their sins, and promise God that they will spend the remaining days of their life in childlike obedience and godliness. (5) They also comfort themselves with the thought that as they continue in faith and love, God will continue to spread the wings of His mercy over them. (6) Finally, they reflect that the celebration of their birthday this year may be their last such celebration on earth.

PRAYER.

Eternal, gracious, and merciful God, by Your favor I have again lived to see my birthday, the day on which You ushered me into the light of day, to receive me later by Holy Baptism as Your child. By the former favor I was made a human being and your creature, by the latter I become Your child and heir. And so this day will be a day of prayer, praise and thanksgiving to me.

Bless the Lord, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will continually be in my mouth. Should I not praise and magnify You, my God, because You have let me be born not only with sound limbs and a well-formed body, which is a great favor, but also from Christian parents, who from my youth have taught me to know You, O Triune God? Now I know and love You and have life and salvation of my soul in You.

Having been nurtured in Your arms, I have been guided and accompanied by You in the years that followed. You have given me food and clothing, and have graciously guarded me until this day. O my God, I am not worthy of the least of all of the mercies and of all the faithfulness that You have shown me. Come and hear; I will declare what the Lord has done for my body and soul. Unfortunately I cannot recount everything! One could sooner number the stars in the sky than the gracious gifts I have received from You, O Lord. From how many dangers You have delivered me! How many calamities You have warded off from me! Your Spirit has taught, governed, guided, and when I was leaning toward sin, has inwardly warned and restrained me.

O my God, while my years increase and Your favors also become numerous, I am reminded today of the sins that I have committed throughout my life. Forgive them to me for Jesus’ sake. Blot them out with His holy blood, and let me obtain mercy for His sake. Grant me grace to spend the remaining days of my life, which are written in Your book, in true fear of You and in sincere faith, that all my doings and my whole life may be pleasing to You. And since I do not know the number of my days on earth, while I know that You have fixed bounds for me which I cannot pass, keep me from shortening my own life by anger, intemperance, sins, wrecklessness, and crimes. Let me reach the limit of life appointed for me in health, under Your blessing and protection, until after this earthly and transitory life You will give me eternal and heavenly life for the sake of Jesus Christ. Till then I shall celebrate this day, as often as it recurs, with praise and thanksgiving, and shall now sing:

My soul, now praise your Maker! Let all within me bless His name Who makes you full partaker Of mercies more than you dare claim. Forget Him not whose meekness Still bears with all your sin, Who heals your ev’ry weakness, Renews your life within; Whose grace and care are endless And saved you through the past; Who leaves no suff’rer friendless But rights the wronged at last. LSB 820:1