The Identity of Adoption

"That's Mama, that's Baba, that's Micah!"  Like a lightbulb the brightness illuminates the entire car from the back of my old Camry.  It's like Christmas for him and us as parents.  He's strapped in his carseat and has his picture book between both hands and signals to us again.  "That's Mama, that's Baba(Father), and that's Micah!"

Hearing this phrase will never get old.  I can hear it replaying in my mind almost daily.  Micah's former name was Xiao Liang(Sheeyow Lee-in) which means "little light."  His new name is Micah which means "Who is like Yahweh."  Micah is continually learning about who his mom and dad are and responding to his new name.  There is an excitement and a smile every time he repeats it.  There's so much joy for us to see him familiarizing himself with his new environment and getting to know us as his parents.

Just like Micah who has a new identity, those of us who have trusted Christ as our Savior also have a new identity.  If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation(2 Cor. 5:17).  All of this is from God(v18).  The more we study God's word, the more the lightbulb goes off as we understand more about our former identity and our new identity.

Like Micah, we can point to God's Word and say that's Evan and Ashley and that's Abba Father.