The Last Birthday

What did Jesus do on his 33rd birthday?

Josephus, a Jewish historian in the first century, notes that Jews did not celebrate birthdays. He is specifically referencing literal birthdays (days of birth), but the principle is commonly thought to have applied to birthdays throughout life. "Nay, indeed, the law does not permit us to make festivals at the birth of our children, and thereby afford occasion of drinking to excess" (Against Apion, Book II, chapter 26). Birthday celebrations are only mentioned twice in the Bible (or three times if you count Job's sons  in Job 1)... Pharoah's birthday in Gen. 40:2-22 and Herod's birthday in Mark 6:21, and all of these seem to be quite different from what we know as a birthday party today. They were out-and-out ruckuses! Crazy stuff.

Jesus, on the other hand, wouldn't have had a cake, or candles, or presents. He didn't take a day off work or have all the family over for dinner. His day was likely just the same as any other... full of healing people, and teaching, maybe some woodworking for good measure. 

But just because Jews didn't celebrate birthdays doesn't mean that they didn't remember them. We know from scriptures like Mark 5, that specifically tells us the age of a 12-year-old girl, that they did keep track of their ages. And I have to believe that, on his last birthday, Jesus took time to reflect on what he knew to be the last anniversary of that extraordinary night 33 years before in a stable in Bethlehem. 

What a bittersweet time it must have been. Sad to be leaving the family and friends he'd grown to love... anxious about the trial he was soon to face... and yet relieved. Happy. He'd be going home soon! 

If there's anything that Jesus was, He was focused. Always, always completely focused. He knew where he was going... and why... every second of every day of his life. He never got sidetracked by trivial things.

I need more of that unshakeable, no-holds-barred focus. To remember why I am here. And to see that God gifted me with a life on this earth - with a birthday - for a purpose. And then to live out that purpose every day.