Greetings brothers and sisters… Pastor Rob here.
Each of my four adult children has a different nickname for me….”Dad,” “Daddy,” “Dad-O,” and “Pops!” Because they feel secure in my love for them, they can address me in these informal and intimate terms. I am glad that they don’t feel they have to address me with the more formal title of “Father.”
Our heavenly Father has given us a wonderful name by which we can call out to Him. It is the Aramaic word, “Abba.” Jesus cried out, “Abba Father,” when he was praying in the garden of Gethsemane. And the apostle Paul says this in Romans chapter 8; “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba Father.” (Romans 8:15)
Abba is an informal and intimate term similar to, “Daddy.” Some people object to using this term for Almighty God, saying that it lacks proper reverence toward the Lord. But when I think of my children sitting on my lap as youngsters calling me, “Daddy,” I don’t think of them as being the least bit disrespectful. Instead, I feel their love and trust toward me.
This Sunday is Father’s Day. If you are a Christian, you are a child of God and God is your Father! Having been born again, you have all the privileges of being God’s son or daughter. One of those privileges is an intimate relationship with your heavenly Father. As His little child, you can, so to speak, climb up into His lap and tell Him you love Him. With the utmost love, trust and reverence you can look up into His loving eyes and call Him, “Abba Father!
As believers in Jesus Christ, we have great reason to celebrate Father’s Day! For we have a Father who wil delight in us, not only in this life, but through all eternity!
—Pastor Rob
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