“[Nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:39 (nkjv)
I was born in December 1950. A few months prior, the Korean War had erupted and young men throughout America were responding to draft boards while veterans of World War II reported for duty once again.
My mother was also having a difficult year. Doctors told her that she would not be able to have children. She grieved only to discover with delight that she was pregnant.
I have seldom been punctual, and my birth was no exception. My mother’s labor was long but concluded with the birth of a healthy, redheaded boy. Mom lay back and slept until they brought her baby to be nursed. She looked at the boy in the nurse’s arms, saw that he had thick black hair, and blurted, “This is not my child!” The young nurse laughed and said, “Yes, Mrs. Walker, this is your baby, and he is hungry!” Mom shot back, “Well, look at the armband and read it to me.” The exasperated nurse glanced at the identification band and read the name Wilson instead of Walker; she was mortified!
Years later, there were times when my mother wished she had kept that Wilson baby. And there have been moments when I have wondered what my life would be like if the mistake had not been discovered. However, I have come to understand that God has placed His clear identification band on each of us. We are all His children and nothing can separate us from the love of God.
