I remember how special it was to hold our precious little babies and grandbaby. As the Gaither song says, “How sweet to hold a newborn baby, and feel the pride and joy he [or she] gives.” Life is a gift that we should value in all. While we should be grateful for life each day—even the hard ones—January 22 is set aside as Celebration of Life Day.
God said, “Let Us make human beings in Our image and likeness” (Genesis 1:26 NCB). God “breathed into [the man’s] nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7 KJV). Only humans are created in God’s image. This is why all lives from pre-birth to natural death are precious to God. This is why all people have value.
Psalm 139:13-16 (ESV) says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. . . I am fearfully and wonderfully made. . . My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven. . . Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written. . . the days that were formed for me when as yet there was none of them.”
God saw you when you were yet unborn. He sees you now. You are so precious to Him, that He made a way for you to be with Him forever. John 1:4 tells us that in Jesus “was life, and the life was the light of men” (KJV). We just celebrated the birth of baby Jesus, but that baby grew up, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to pay for our sin, and came alive again, living in Heaven with the Father and interceding for us. And to all who receive him, He gives the right to become children of God, to all who believe in His name, as John 1:12 tells us.
That Gaither song goes on to say, “But greater still, the calm assurance, this child can face uncertain days because He lives.” As children of God, we, too, can face uncertain days because Christ lives.
Let’s honor the lives of the precious loved ones He’s given us—those currently with us, those yet to be born, and those who’ve gone to Heaven before us. Celebrate life today and every day.
