08/10/2021
As Christians we talk a great deal about Jesus abiding in us, and we in Him, but do we contemplate this as much as we should? God gave us more than just the man Jesus, but the Spirit of Jesus as well. He does this because we are His Sons, His children, and He desires for us to be just like Jesus. We are meant to do more than respectfully call Him our God, no, He wants us to call Him Father, and He wants us to recognize Him as being more than just our physical sire, so we are told to call Him by the pet name that a loving child would use… Abba, or in other words Papa, or Daddy. God views our adoption as much more than a formality… He is our very personal, good, and loving Father… just as He is to Jesus.
“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!””
Galatians 4:6 ESV
There are formal families in which the children are taught to call their parents Mother, and Father, and there is nothing wrong with this, but when we encounter families where the children call their parents Mommy and Daddy, or Mom and Dad, we feel a greater since of love and familiarity. How do we refer to our parents?
When I was a boy my parents called me by my nickname, or pet name… Richy, and even today when I visit my 96 year old Mom this is what she calls me. She has never called me Richard unless I was in deep trouble for some reason, or if a formal occasion dictated it. If I heard her use my full given name I knew something was wrong. On the other hand, if I was in trouble, my Dad would simply use my title… Son. So he might say “Son, I need to talk to you!” And I would know the situation was serious. Think about this for a few minutes; how did you refer to your parents, and what did they call you? Wasn’t there much more love and intimacy in the less formal forms? This is why God desires us to call Him Abba… He wants that deeply personal relationship to exist, and we can tell a great deal about where we are, and the intimacy of the moment, by how we refer to each other.
“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”
Proverbs 3:11-12 ESV
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”
Romans 8:15-16 ESV
So now, after having contemplated the names we have for our earthly parents, let’s think about what we call God. Is our relationship always rather distant “God”, formal “Father”, or is it intimate “Abba, Papa, or Daddy?” What does our name for Him reveal about our relationship, and does it mirror Christ’s as he calls Him “Father, Abba?”
“And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.””
Mark 14:36 ESV
Looking at this verse which was from the prayer that Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, what is the feeling we now have about this moment? Do we get the impression that this conversation was between Jesus and God, or Between Him and His loving Papa? In fact it is incredibly intimate, and personal.
So, let’s reread our opening verse and think about what it means to be the children of God. We are given the spirit of Jesus so that our relationship will be just as intimate with God as His was. We are sons as Jesus is, and loved just He is loved… does this effect how we once viewed our relationship with God? Has our heart been opened for us to let our Father become Abba, Papa, or some other name of love and endearment?
“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!””
Galatians 4:6 ESV
Prayer:
Abba! Father! Thank you for placing the Spirit of Jesus in our hearts that we would be able to love you more. Thank you for allowing us to have the same intimate and loving relationship with you that Jesus experiences. Open our hearts completely Papa, and make us comfortable in referring to you in such personal and informal language. Help us to know you as perhaps we have never allowed ourselves to know you before. In our quiet places, and in our family home in Heaven, hear us call you Daddy, Abba, or another wonderfully loving name. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God, our Father, and Abba who holds us close. Praised be your name for those times when each of your names is appropriate, but praise you most for the intimate times when we pray to you as Abba… just as Jesus was known to do, and we do now. You are a merciful God, a good Father, and a Papa whose grace abounds amongst His children forever. We pray that as our God you will wash us in the blood of Chris, forgive us as our Merciful Father, and seat us at your table forevermore as our loving Abba, and Papa.
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”
1 John 3:1-3 ESV
Rich Forbes