Give a New Cover and a New Identity

I have a secret and a confession.

First of all, you must know that I live in Alabama, and in Alabama, college football is king. The two teams that will divide anyone and everyone around here are Alabama and Auburn. Now if you are an Alabama fan, your team is gold. Oops, I meant crimson, and your blood bleeds crimson, right? But if you are for Auburn, you know that God created orange and blue sunsets JUST. FOR. Your. Team.

My dad was an Auburn man and married an Alabama woman. Taboo!! While he was alive, my mom turned into an Auburn fan, talked negatively about her Alabama days, and wore the good ole orange and blue, because her daughter, ME, went to school there, and my sister went there for a while, and lives in the vicinity. Now that my mom is on her own again, she is an Alabama fan, through and through – doesn’t care a thing (or even pretend to) about Auburn.

Now me being a good Auburn girl never found me an Auburn man, so what did I do, I married an Alabama man! When we got married, I had a fleece Auburn blanket, and he had this sweatshirt Alabama blanket.

Can you guess which side of the bed is mine?

Just so you know, I gave my Auburn blanket away and I, sshh, sleep under the Alabama blanket most nights.

That blanket was my husband’s and when we got married he spread his garment over me, and now I am his, just like Boaz did for Ruth. Who am I to make a kerfuffle over what is written on the blanket when it has been provided to me, and it was frankly a lot more useful than the Auburn one I had? Both unfortunately (because I am still an Auburn fan) and fortunately for me, when my husband married me, he provided a new covering and a new identity for me. I came under the provision of this Alabama fan (my man) and I changed my name to his (I’m not yet planning to change my team allegiance).

Well, if you are a child of God, you’ve both been covered by Him and been given a new identity by Him. Hopefully, you have an idea of what this covering and new identity have done for you.

This is where I want you to think about the kids out there that have never been covered by Him, the ones who scrounge around at night to find a piece of cardboard or a worn piece of clothing to sleep under. The ones who are waiting on you to show His compassion. The ones whose parents sometimes have to give them over to others for care because giving their child away is the best they can provide. Have you ever had to think about giving your child away so that he or she could have a blanket, a bed, a place to sleep? Do you know how heart breaking that has to be for the mom and dad? What I am assuming is that these kids would not care whether they got to sleep under an Alabama or an Auburn blanket. They would just be glad to have a blanket.

And friends, don’t you know how proud they would be to be a child of God and have a new identity! Think of yourself as an orphan and how the Father came to you in your need, chose you out of the rough, and made you His own! These children need to know the Father’s adoption too.

I am excited to be a Compassion blogger because I get to share more of the heart God has given me for the least of these. You have the opportunity to give a child a new cover and a new identity. When you choose to sponsor a Compassion child, you will provide food, clothing, and the opportunity to know Christ and become a child of God! Maybe, just maybe you are the kinsman-redeemer this child is waiting on. Maybe you are the kinsman-redeemer to help show them the way to THE Kinsman-Redeemer. Don’t you want to partake in this privilege? Click over here to take at look at the children you could sponsor through Compassion. Even if you do not sponsor (and I hope you do), take a moment to pray over each one that they may receive a new cover and a new identity.

I’ve been a sponsor since 2001. I’d be glad to answer any questions if you have any. This is blog month at Compassion, so you will see a Compassion post from me once a week this month.