Little Wife Gets a New Name

 

“I have a job interview!  I have a job interview!  Someone might want to give me a real job! Thank you Jesus for this amazing day!  You are so good to us!”  Little Wife was singing and dancing.  The invitation for a job interview was the Miracle of the Day, and Little Wife couldn’t even believe this was happening to her.

She sorted through the clothes in the trunk of her car to find something that wasn’t dirty or too wrinkled for tomorrow’s interview.  It had been very difficult these past few weeks, couch surfing with friends and staying in the car and sitting at the library and trying to look as normal as possible at her volunteer office.  

Little Wife often felt worried. She wondered what would ever become of her.  She was thankful for the escape from Big Man.  She knew she didn’t want to return to The Grim – the name of the home where she had lived with him.  But what if she couldn’t find a job?  What if she couldn’t find an apartment?  What if she got into another car accident?  So many “what if’s and how come’s?”

Little Wife didn’t know how it all happened so quickly, that she had married Big Man and then been trapped in all his lies and abuse.  He controlled so much of her life for so long. She had felt very helpless for years.

She only knew that God was with her now and helping her everyday.  She was actually seeing miracles everyday!  She knew she needed to follow Him and not be worried so much. 

Little Wife was beginning to think she might be valuable to God even if Big Man had told her over and over that God could never love someone as bad as she was.  “Maybe God does love me,” she reminded herself.  

She considered the past few weeks and remembered that God had kept her and Belle safe during the car accident, had provided her with friends who helped her, had protected her from the rage of Big Man as he sought to scare her and stalk her.  “Maybe God does love me,” she said out loud.

It was good that she had the Order of Protection against Big Man.  Some people called it a Restraining Order.  She shuddered to think of anyone trying to restrain Big Man.  He could rage like a bull when anyone told him what to do and what NOT to do.  She was thankful not to have to see that rage anymore.

Little Wife found some slacks and a sensible blouse for her job interview and considered hanging them up and spraying some wrinkle release to help freshen them up.  She double checked in her clothes basket for some extra copies of her resume.  It was a pretty sparse resume, but it was all she had.  She would go to her interview on a wing and a prayer…

The next morning she rose early and dressed and prayed while she walked the dog through the breaking dawn.  “A new day, a new job, a new life,” Little Wife thought to herself.  

And then she heard from God.  It was a voice outside of her head, outside of her heart, kind and quiet.  And God said, “You are not a little wife anymore.  Your name is Glorie Christos.”

Little Wife stopped in her tracks.  She looked over her shoulder.  Her dog turned around to see what was the trouble.  Little Wife stood still, listening in case there was another important message, but no, just silence.  

“Glorie Christos.  I am Glorie Christos.  I’m not Little Wife anymore.  God just gave me a new name.  God is with me.  He knows me.  He knows me.  He knows my troubles.  God is with me.”  The tears rolled down the cheeks of Glorie Christos.  She dropped to her knees right there on the sidewalk and sobbed for the great grace and love of God.

Who knows how many minutes passed.  Time stood still.  Her dog waited as Glorie Christos poured out her heart in worship.  When she stood up, she stood a little taller than she had stood in a long time.  She felt strong and tall and her arms reached to the heavens.  “Thank you,” she whispered.  “Thank you, Jesus.  All glory to you, Christ.  All glory forever.”

She made it to the job interview, and it was all a blur.  At one point, the team manager asked Glorie Christos why she thought she could do this job which usually required having letters behind an applicant’s name, such as LCSW or MSW.  Glorie looked him straight in the eye and replied, “I can do this job because I serve a mighty God, and I am a prayer warrior.”

“Oh,” he replied a little awkwardly.  “Oh, I see. Well, we will let you know in a day or so.  We will be in touch.  This has been a very interesting meeting, and thank you for coming in today.”

“Thank you, Mr. Fernando, and it was a joy to meet you.  Don’t forget, my name is Glorie Christos.” She stood tall and shook his outstretched hand with confidence and a smile.

“Yes, oh yes, I’m sure I won’t forget that name.  Have a nice day, Glorie Christos.”

*******

Chaplain’s Note:  Years of abuse will undermine our confidence and leave us feeling hopeless and devalued.  But God…can take the mess of our sad, broken lives and make beauty out of our ashes.  He is FOR you, not against you.  He has an amazing plan for your life.  When we are at the end of our rope, at the end of ourselves, that’s when God picks us up and shows us that He is with us and loves us. His love redeems us.  He may even give you a new name like he did for Little Wife, for Abraham and Sarah, for Jacob, for Simon Peter and the apostle Paul.

“And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  I will bless her…”  

                                                                             Genesis 17:15-16

“Andrew first found his own brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ).  He brought him to Jesus.  Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas’ (which means Peter, or Rock).”

                                                                                 John 2:41-42