Tagged in Red

 

Playing in the rain, Emily let her hair loose from it’s yellow rubber band. She knew the house supervisor wouldn’t be thrilled with her for getting wet, but that didn’t matter at the moment. To play without a care in the world, to run into the embrace of loving parents, to know that she would always have a home.

 

 

 “Get out of the rain you silly little girl” Miss. Bridges yelled, whisking Emily back to cold reality. “You want to get a cold, so I can spend a fortune on you? I spend a lot of money daily on you in this home, surely your death will save me some good money.” Immediately, Emily gathered up her worn out satin dress and scurried into the house.

Ms. Bridges words were of no effect to her anymore. The woman was anything but nice. “I wonder why she is always so bitter,” thought Emily.  Some said it was because she was never able to have children. Others said her husband had abused her so badly before they divorced, while the rest believed she envied the children in the home because of the affection they received from outsiders.  Whatever the case, Emily felt Mrs Bridges went overboard a whole lot more than necessary.  

 

Photo Credit: @amazing_vikkie

Emily had lived thirteen years of her life in the orphanage, her parents had been killed in the Biafran war of 1967 when she was barely 6 months old. A fleeing neighbour had discovered her and shielded her for the two year span of the war with the help of a nurse. After the war, he decided he was fed up with Nigeria and relocated to the United States when a window of opportunity came. Not having appropriate means to take her also, he handed her over to the Care Home and since then, hadn’t returned.

 

Emily had over the years wished that someone would come for her and give her a new family, but year after year that dream remained a figment of her imagination. She had no last name nor birth certificate making it impossible for any relative to find her. Most of the few friends she grew up with had been adopted and given new names, only a few ever wrote to her to encourage her in that mini hell hole called a Care home.

 

 However, fate would eventually smile on her as she was noticed by a lovely looking couple, whose heart she would eventually sweep over and in 6 months of that meeting, her adoption papers were complete.  Emily was overjoyed as she left the house, she no longer belonged to a house or was regarded as government property but belonged to a family with a BRAND NEW IDENTITY, Legally, she was now to be addressed as Emily Adewunmi-Peters.  

 ‎Miss. Bridges would no longer be able to terrorise her, the words FREEDOM never sounded so good.

The same goes for anyone who believes in Christ. We are no longer slaves to our former master satan, but we are children of God (Galatians 4:7); hence the legal right the devil had over us has been nullified by the blood of Christ. Things like depression, envy, malice can no longer hold us captive because we belong to a new master. Just as Emily will be entitled to the inheritance of the Adewunmi family under the law so we are heirs of salvation. The Bible  shows us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if any one is in Christ, old things are passed away, all things become new. Part of those old things that pass away is your old identity. Many people try to gain an identity from the things they can see or have. Their family, friends, money, looks, property, sex etc. The problem with these is that they are temporal. Money can be lost, beauty will wither away like a flower, friends come and go etc. None of those things are sure and one sure thing is after we die, none of those things will be of value to us.

But God gave us Jesus and belief in Him identifies us with God. We have been “Tagged in Red” by his precious Blood. Everything changes. God becomes our papa. We become His sons and daughters, we gain His favour, righteousness(2 Cor 5:21), authority(Ephesians 1:20-22, 2:5-7), abilities and the list goes on and on.

It’s much safer to base your identity on what is sure. What will never end or fade away. What can never be stolen from us. A relationship with God.

And of course when you make that adjustment in your mind, you will see your life change right before your eyes. Opinions outside God’s own of you wont matter. Situations won’t shake you because you are sure of your identity. You belong with the father.

Say with me, God is my father, I am accepted by Him. I find my identity in Him.

Amazing Vikkie

Photo Credit:  kuudos_Medley

Feel free to share your comments, thoughts and questions. God bless you.