DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BIRTHPLACE

DAD'S RAMBLILNGS – BIRTHPLACE

Psalm 87:5-6 – "But of Zion it shall be said, 'This one and that one were born in her;' And the Most High Himself will establish her. The LORD will count when He registers the peoples, 'This one was born there.' "

Where were you born? My birth certificate says that I was born in Independence, Oregon, in 1941. I am still waiting for the city to erect a sign that says, "Birthplace of John Schiewek." Don't hold your breath.

The psalmist drew attention to the honor of being born in a certain nation or city. In verse 4, he says, "This person or that person was born in Rahab, or Babylon, or Philistia, Tyre, or Ehtiopia." Where a person was born or his cultural heritage is a point of identification. When we meet people, we say, "Where do you hail from?" "My family came from Germany (or Norway, or England)." Or, " I was born in Iowa." Or, "I spent most of my youth in Atlanta." Birthplace is an important part of my heritage.

It was a distinct privilege and honor for an Israelite to be born in Jerusalem. To have your birthplace in the city where the temple resided gave a person bragging rights. "I was born in Jerusalem."

But more important to me is where I was born again. I remember the place. It was at an old-fashioned altar where I knelt and confessed my sins, and received Jesus as my Savior.

When we get to heaven, God will open the books. One of the books is the "Book of Life" or, perhaps we could call it the Birthday Book. "And I saw the dead, the small and the great, standing before the throne, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds...And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:12, 15). I can just imagine that when God opens the Born-Again book, he will look for my name and say, "Ah, yes, here it is. John Schiewek, born again at Stayton, Oregon, in 1950." Then I will sing with the Psalmist: "All my springs – the fountains of my being-- are in You" (vs. 7). And I'll be home where my real life will begin.

Love, Dad