The Father’s Good Hands ∙

The Father’s Good Hands ∙

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. – Proverbs 16:9

2 Kings 8:1-6

 1 Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the LORD has called for a famine on Israel that will last for Seven years.”

 2 So the woman did as the man of God instructed. She took her family and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

 3 After the famine ended, she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land.

 4 As she came in, the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king had just said, “Tell me some stories about the great things Elisha has done.”

 5 And Gehazi was telling the king about the time Elisha had brought a boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land. “Look, my lord the king!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son – the very one Elisha brought back to life!”

 6 “Is this true?” the king asked her. And she told him the story. So he directed one of his officials to see that everything she had lost was restored to her, including the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence.

What is a slogan? We have heard them. We probably remember or certainly recognize many of them. A slogan is a short, easily remembered phrase associated with an idea, product, or service. It’s a succinct statement, a catchphrase that encapsulates the objectives or essence of a company, individual, or candidate, serving as a motto.

Originating from the rallying or war cries of ancient Highland clans, the term slogan is derived from a rallying cry, war-cry, or gathering word or phrase of one of the clans. Slogan is a variant spelling of Scots slogorne – battle cry, from Gaelic sluagh-ghairm derived from sluagh – host + gairm – shout. Some modern-day equivalents might be “Go get them,” “We are the Champions,” or “Remember the Alamo.”

In advertising, effective slogans form the backbone of identity and value. They encapsulate the company’s entire mission in a catchy and enduring phrase. They represent a commitment to customers. More than just a phrase, it’s a reflection of the brand’s entire mission. A slogan communicates precisely what the company does and why it does it.

Slogans play a critical role in brand building and marketing. The effectiveness of a slogan is determined by how well it is remembered. Often, a slogan becomes ingrained in popular culture: “Where’s the beef?”

Consider the Allstate Insurance TV commercial. Many of us have heard it a multitude of times. “You’re in good hands with Allstate.”

The creation of this slogan has an interesting backstory. Davis W. Ellis, one of Allstate’s sales executives, conceived it based on a similar phrase used by his wife. When their child was under a doctor’s care, she assured Ellis that their child was in good hands.

Who wouldn’t wouldn’t want to be in “good hands” when you need help? That’s the sentiment Allstate capitalized on when marketing its insurance policies using this brilliant slogan.

God protects His own when they trust in Him and remain in His Good Hands.

Psalm 36:7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

Psalms 91:1-4

 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

 2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Often, the Father utilizes intentional delays to position us in the right place at the right time. Our days, hours, minutes, and even seconds are in the Father’s hands. The Father was operating behind the scenes to meet the needs of the woman whose son was brought back to life through the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 4:18-37). After the miraculous healing, the woman and her son left the country due to a famine.

The timing was impeccable when she returned years later to request the king to return her abandoned land. At that exact moment, the king was discussing with Gehazi, the prophet’s servant. Gehazi was retelling the story of how Elisha had resurrected her son just as the woman walked in (2 Kings 8:5). Upon confirming the details of the case, the king granted her request, and her lands were restored to her.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father graciously works to accomplish His will on earth as it is in heaven. He has a timeline of the events in the lives of each child of the King. He has appointments set up for us that we are totally unaware of until the moment we discover them. Over and over, we are encouraged to trust the Father and recognize that He is the Lord of our every moment.

Father, thank You for all the days of my life, which are in Your hands. You are the Potter; I am the clay.

INSIGHT

The Father is always at work in the lives of the children of the King. Throughout history, He has been actively involved in people’s everyday lives. In fact, He is orchestrating history. The Father invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

Father is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He has been working throughout history to accomplish His purposes. He does not invite us to set magnificent goals and then pray that He will help us achieve them.

The Father has His own agenda when He approaches us. He desires to get us from where we are to where He is working. He leads us from being self-centered to being God-centered. When the Father reveals to you where He is working, that becomes His invitation to join Him in His activity. When God reveals His work to you, that is the time to respond to Him (Blackaby).

The image of planning the way and directing the steps suggests embarking on a journey. The surprise comes in discovering that in the realm of planning daily activities, where humans believe they are in control, the Father’s will is most intimately at work. He works through the mental processes of human thought to bring about His desire (Bland).

There is an invisible equilibrium in the dynamic interplay between divine guidance and human initiative, giving God “not only the last word but the soundest.” People make plans and act them out (Waltke).

The LORD orchestrates the path of one’s life, guiding each step. Not a single step is made without the Lord’s supervision. A man may plan his road to the last detail, but he cannot implement it unless it coincides with the Father’s plan for him. He is deluded if he supposes that he has unfettered control and can impose his will on every situation without limitation to make his plan a reality. Shakespeare eloquently said, “There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will.” (Waltke).

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© Dr. H 2024

The plain answer ∙∙

The plain answer ∙∙

I and the Father are one. – John 10:30

John 10:33 You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.

The Lord Jesus Christ often made statements that were difficult to take in and accept. But that is precisely the point. The Lord Jesus Christ does not provide comfortable, safe options or opinions. He made it black-and-white. We either believe or we reject what He said is the Truth.

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice.”

“Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity).

The religious leaders in His day were curious about precisely who The Lord Jesus Christ was. He had performed many miraculous signs, and the word had gotten out. He made strong, penetrating, insightful declarations contradicting the standard religious party line. Many often defied logic. He was confrontational and provocative.

No doubt they were thinking things like:

Who do you think you are?

What right do you have to tell us what to do?

Why do you always think you are right?

Why should we listen to you?

Why do you think your way is better than ours?

Pretty much the kind of stuff that any average person would say who is not a child of the King, and regrettably many who are.

He gives a plain answer to the unspoken query that they were all thinking, “Who are you?” He essentially said, “I am God!”

John 10:30 I and the Father are one.

He made this statement, knowing it would shock, provoke, if not incite, the religious leaders that opposed Him. To find talking points to attack Him, they did not have to do any opposition research like modern political candidates. He provided all the ammunition they needed. His words stirred their emotions, if not their hatred, and gave them all the more reason to resist and oppose Him.

The plain answer was, “I and the Father are One.” It is a clear statement of His deity.

“The word One does not suggest that the Father and the Son are identical persons. Rather, it means that they are one in essence: the Father is God, and the Son is God, but the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Father. He is speaking about unity, not identity” (Wiersbe).

Those who heard His words understood precisely what He meant by what He said. How do we know? By their reaction. If He were not God, then His words are sheer, audacious blasphemy. Blasphemy was to be punished by death (Leviticus 24:16, Numbers 15:30ff, Deuteronomy 21:22). The religious leaders picked up stones and were prepared to stone Him on the spot.

John 10:31-33

 31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him.

 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”

 33 They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.”

At His trial, the Lord Jesus Christ was found guilty and condemned. Why? What was He found guilty of? He was guilty of claiming to be the Messiah, the Son of God! How tragic! His outrageous claim was true. He is the longed for, predicted Messiah of Israel!

Mark 14:61-64

 61 But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

 62 Jesus said, “I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

 63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses?

 64 You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”

Or perhaps it wasn’t so outrageous after all. In fact, it was True Truth.

REFLECT & PRAY

If the Lord Jesus Christ was not God as He claimed to be, then He was either a liar or lunatic.

Father how often I struggle and resist You. I may question what You say and expect of me. But I have no right to question Your authority to say it. You are the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. Resistance is not only futile; it is ridiculous.

INSIGHT

Who is Lord Jesus Christ? All children of the King know for sure.

Matthew 16:15-17

 15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon, son of John because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

But there’s more.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Truth (John 14:6). The Lord is not talking about knowing important facts about Him. Nor is this Truth merely abstract nor propositional. It is personal. It is knowing the Lord Jesus Christ in an intimate, personal way (Krause). “It is instead a statement about a living relationship with the Son of God, ‘the truth,’ who gives freedom to human beings (John 8:36)” (Borchert).

The Word of God provides something not found anywhere else: True Truth (Francis Schaeffer)! The world is filled with personal opinions, truth for now, political polls, contemporary consensus, or the lack thereof. Philosophy and education pursue truth but never seem to find it.

But there’s more. Knowing the Truth produces freedom.

John 8:32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

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© Dr. H 2024

Character-driven prayer ∙

Character-driven prayer ∙

Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. – Ecclesiastes 5:2

Matthew 6:8-10

 8 Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

“Friday Night Lights” is an American sports drama television series. It follows the lives of a football-driven community in rural Texas. Set in the fictional town of Dillon, it portrays the dreams, ambitions, and challenges faced by relatable characters associated with the local high school football teams, the Dillon Panthers, and, in later seasons, the East Dillon Lions. The Dillon Panthers have earned a reputation as one of the nation’s premier high school football teams, led by their head coach, Eric Taylor, one of America’s best high school football coaches.

The series boldly shows heartfelt, authentic prayer, which enriches its authenticity and relevance. It presented people living out their faith, albeit somewhat imperfectly. It showcased how a godly man, although not an overtly religious one, could serve as a role model and mentor, a builder of character, a friend that sticks closer than a brother, with the moral compass to do what is right. His commitment and values are consistently reflected in his prayers.

In the series finale, “Always,” Coach Eric Taylor offers a prayer before the state finals. It’s a simple prayer. It is memorable because it does not focus on self-serving and self-aggrandizing victory. Instead, it focuses on talent and unity.

Dear Heavenly Father, keep us and protect us tonight. Please allow us to take the talents you have given us and use them to the very best this evening. As a family. As one. Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Coach Eric Taylor models character-driven prayer that focuses on maximizing abilities rather than short-term outcomes. His ultimate goal is to shape and develop people of character and integrity.

REFLECT & PRAY

Our commitment and values are seen through prayers.

Father my heart be right in Your own eyes. May prayers be more and more character-driven and reflective of a heart that is pleasing to You.

INSIGHT

What should be our attitude when we pray? How does it reflect our character and walk with the Father?

The Psalms offer many models. They are God-centered, not man-centered. They are character-driven. They overflow with thankfulness and gratitude. They highlight particular qualities of the Father that are attractive, desirable, and worthy of worship.

Psalms 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Through the centuries, many have attempted to follow these models. They are often seen in prayers offered at mealtime.

The most ancient examples are the Jewish Brachot (Blessings) before eating.

Special Brachot – benedictions – are traditionally spoken in Hebrew before eating food or drinking any beverage.

Each benediction begins:

Baruch atah adonai elokeinu melech haolam

Blessed Are You, God, our Lord, King of the World.

The endings depend specifically on what is to be eaten or drunk:

For Bread:

… Hamotzie lechem myn ha’aretz.

Who brings forth bread from the ground.

For Wine & Grape juice:

…Boreiy pree hagafen.

Who creates the fruit of the vine.

The Common Table Prayer was first published in 1753 in a Moravian hymnal.

Come, Lord Jesus, be our Guest and bless what you have bestowed.

There is also the Catholic Table Prayer.

Bless us, O Lord, And these thy gifts,

Which we are about to receive, from thy bounty,

Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

For small children

God is great, God is good. Let us thank him for our food.

By His hands, we all are fed. Thank you, Lord, for our daily bread. Amen.

How can we develop a character-driven prayer life?

It all begins in our hearts. We must get them right with the Father.

Proverbs 16:7 When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.

If our hearts are not right with the Father, what will happen?

Psalms 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.

The English word translated as regard comes from the Hebrew word roeh. Roeh is a common Hebrew word that means to see. Psalms 66:18a is literally translated as “If I had seen iniquity in my heart.”

It has thus been translated as “If I had cherished iniquity” (RSV), “If I had ignored my sins” (TEV), and “If I had not confessed” (NLT). Some translations take an even more pejorative tact. “If I had thought about (doing) evil” (TOB); “Had I an evil thought and in my mind” (NJV); and “If I had had wicked intentions” (FRCL). The sense is, “If I turned my head from my sins,” “If I had shut my eyes on the evil I had done,” and “If I had put deaf ears on my sins.”

The point is, if we don’t get it right about sins in our hearts, our prayers will not be right either. We are only deceiving ourselves if we think they are.

Psalms 66:18 states what would have happened if the psalmist had not been aware of and confessed his sins; God would not have listened to his prayer, that is, God would not have done what he had asked God to do” (UBS).

How do the children of the King get it right? Ask the Father to point out unknown sin within and confess it.

Psalms 139:24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Follow the advice of the Lord Jesus Christ on how to pray.

Matthew 6:5-7

 5 When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.

 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

 7 When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.

“If we refuse to admit to some sin, despite the conviction of the Holy Spirit on our heart, we can have no confidence in prayer and no right to expect a divine “yes.” God blesses obedience, not stubbornness” (Stanley).

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© Dr. H 2024

Spiritual formation ∙∙

Spiritual formation ∙∙

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment. – 1 Peter 2:2

Ephesians 4:15 We are to grow up in every way into Christ, who is the head.

2 Peter 1:3-8

3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,

 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness,

 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter Pan was not into spiritual formation. He wanted to avoid any kind of development at all. He had no desire to grow up and become an adult. His goal was to remain forever a child in Never, Never Land.

I won’t grow up; I don’t want to go to school.

Just to learn to be a parrot, and recite a silly rule.

If growing up means it would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree, I’ll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up

Not me!

I won’t grow up; I don’t want to wear a tie.

Or a serious expression in the middle of July.

And if it means I must prepare

To shoulder burdens with a worried air,

I’ll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up

Not me, not I, not me! So there!

We won’t grow up! We will never grow a day

And if someone tries to make it

We will simply run away

I promise that I won’t

No, I promise that I won’t

I will stay a boy forever and be banished if I don’t

What is Christian spiritual formation?

Spiritual formation is the process of developing and growing the spiritual aspect of our personality. For children of the King, spiritual formation is becoming more like Christ. Spiritual formation is a relatively new term. It may be unfamiliar to some believers, but it can be better understood as “maturing spiritually,” “growing in grace,” “becoming sanctified,” or “walking with Christ,”

The Holy Spirit is responsible for facilitating spiritual growth in our lives through spiritual formation. The word of God serves as the bedrock of this process. Studying it and reflecting upon it is at the heart of spiritual formation.

The journey of spiritual formation begins with comprehending the teachings of the Bible and their significance. Once these teachings are understood, they aid in fostering and enhancing the process of mental renewal.

There is no alternative for embracing and internalizing the Father’s timeless truth. This leads to convictions about correct thought and actions. Extraordinarily and inexplicably, an inner compulsion to adhere to the Father’s Word develops within our hearts. It is this conviction that acts as the source of confidence and passion. It is the fountainhead from which all else flows.

REFLECT & PRAY

Spiritual growth is the process of becoming more mature in one’s relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Someone growing spiritually will become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

Father thank You for working to grow me up. Spiritual formation is Your personal goal for me and each child of the King.

INSIGHT

Many children of the King fall in love with His truth. The more time spent in it, the more beautiful and delightful it becomes. There is nothing else like it on planet Earth. Consider your favorite meal and the joy it brings you; that’s the kind of relationship many of the King’s children have developed with the Word of God over time. Once this bond is formed, there is no going back.

Psalms 19:10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.

Spiritual formation cannot be rushed. Spiritual development is a lifelong journey. The natural world around us showcases this process and growth. The more complex and advanced the organism, the longer its growth process. The Father is working for eternity. It is not our concern how much time is involved or how long the process takes. That is totally in His hands.

Many newcomers to faith experience an initial surge of enthusiasm and embark on a rapid spiritual journey. However, this pace doesn’t last. The Father Himself adjusts the tempo.

“When God wants to make an oak, He takes a hundred years, but when He wants to make a squash, He takes six months” (Strong).

Spiritual formation often follows a seasonal pattern. Much can be learned from observing the annual rings of a tree. Some years are marked by significant growth, others not so much. So it is with the children of the King. During the slow times, growth is solidified and strengthened, often through testing and even severe drought.

“Growth is not a uniform thing in the tree or in the Christian. In some single months there is more growth than in all the year besides. During the rest of the year, however, there is solidification, without which the green timber would be useless. The period of rapid growth, when the woody fiber is actually deposited between the bark and the trunk, occupies but four to six weeks in May, June, and July” (Strong).

The Father’s methods involve time and a variety of techniques that are all necessary for spiritual development. “The Husbandman’s method for true spiritual growth involves pain as well as joy, suffering as well as happiness, failure as well as success, inactivity as well as service, death as well as life . . .” (Sanford).

Spiritual growth and transformation are not based upon our striving to get something we do not have. Instead, it is based on the knowledge, acceptance, and reckoning upon what is already ours.

We develop a childlike faith and trust and simply rest in the Father’s loving care, being confident that he who began a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

Biblical spiritual formation is about actively engaging with the Father in His ongoing work in our lives. Our determination, fortitude, and character are often put to the test. The journey may not always be smooth sailing; sometimes, it may seem impossible. Spiritual formation is not determined by the size of the task; it is determined by the amount of effort one puts into the task.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going (John Wooden).

Never, Never Land should be a distant memory. After all, it was a fairytale for children.

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© Dr. H 2024

AFS – Absent Father Syndrome ∙∙

AFS – Absent Father Syndrome ∙∙

Consider the incredible love that the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called “children of God” – and that is not just what we are called, but what we are. – 1 John 3:1 (Phillips translation)

Romans 8:15-16

 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

There is a Missing Father Crisis in America. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 25% of American children, 19.5 million, are growing up in homes without a father. This starkly contrasts the situation in 1960, when merely 11% of children were living in homes without their fathers. The states bearing the brunt of this crisis are Mississippi, which has the highest number of children living without a father in the home, 36.2%, followed by Louisiana, 34.4%, and Alabama, 30.7%. Conversely, Utah, North Dakota, and Idaho have the lowest prevalence of father absence, with rates of 11.5%, 14.4%, and 16%, respectively.

The absence of a father can leave indelible emotional scars on the children left behind, leading to what has been dubbed “The Absent Father Syndrome.” Why are fathers missing? This can be attributed to either the physical absence of the father due to circumstances like death, divorce, demanding work schedules, or a lack of emotional presence. Even when the father is physically present, he is “not there” for his children. In both scenarios, the father is unable to provide the necessary foundation for the child’s healthy character development, self-esteem, and identity, leading to a psychological void.

Compounding the issue is that our relationships with our human fathers, or lack thereof, often shape our perceptions of our heavenly Father. A strained relationship with an earthly father can inadvertently influence one’s feelings toward the Heavenly Father. Transferring those feelings from a human father to God the Father is natural. Thankfully, such damage is not irreparable. The void and ache in our wounded hearts can be redeemed. Understanding and believing Who and What our heavenly Father is makes all the difference in the world.

One of the deepest longings of the human heart is to feel accepted and to belong. One of the profound aspects of our relationship with our Heavenly Father is that we are adopted into His Forever Family and truly become His children. This is hard to grasp fully. We could contemplate it for all eternity and never fully come to terms with the wonder and magnitude of it all.

REFLECT & PRAY

As children of the King, our identity and security are based solely upon being adopted into the Father’s Forever Family.

Dear Father, Abba, help me realize that I am not only called Your child; I am Your child! I belong to You forever! You are always “there for me.”

INSIGHT

It is mindboggling when we recognize that our adoption was not finalized “on paper.” None of us have a physical certificate of adoption. Instead, it took place deep within our hearts and spirits. When we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and accepted Him as our Lord and Savior by faith, extraordinary supernatural events unfolded. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we were born again. Rather than a fragile, destructible certificate of rebirth, our adoption is written down and guaranteed in the eternal word of God.

Romans 8:15-16

 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

Before our adoption, we were the slaves of fear. But now that the Holy Spirit has come to dwell within us, we have been released from slavery. There is now no need for us to live in fear. What a welcome and blessed relief!

But that’s not all.

We are no longer required to refer to Him strictly as Father. Instead, He becomes our Abba Father. In English, the term “father” can suggest formality, severity, or detachment. This is not the case with terms like Papa or Daddy, which convey a sense of closeness and intimacy. They imply a close, intimate relationship. There is a sense of endearment, a warm embrace with smiles, kisses, hugs, and even a few tickles. That’s what our adoption does for us.

It’s not a sign of disrespect when we address our heavenly Father as Abba. The encouragement and prompting to do so come from the Holy Spirit Himself within us.

Galatians 4:6 Because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

The phrase, Abba Father, appears again in the New Testament. In the garden of Gethsemane, when Christ is in anguish regarding His coming betrayal, trial, humiliation, crucifixion, and death, He cries out, fervently praying, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Mark 14:36).

Our adoption isn’t something we earn; it’s a gift freely given when we acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

John 1:12-13

 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

 13 They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

Abraham Lincoln asked, “How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg?” The correct answer is Four. “Saying that a tail is a leg doesn’t make it a leg.”

1 John 3:1 Consider the incredible love that the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called “children of God” – and that is not just what we are called, but what we are (Phillips translation).

We are not just CALLED the children of God; we ARE the children of God!

Some earthly fathers are good, others not so much. A few fathers are great! Our heavenly Father surpasses even the greatest of these; He is magnificent! He desires to foster a relationship with us that is intimate, gentle, and brimming with warmth. He invites us to address Him as Abba. There’s no room for fear when we approach our Papa! What could be less intimidating and more inviting than a Papa? Perhaps only a sweet, loving, and indulgent grandpapa.

1 John 4:18-19

 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

 19 We love because He first loved us.

He seeks to fill the void, the vacuum that so many of us have inherited from our absent fathers.

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© Dr. H 2024