Skip to main content

Abba


I haven’t really delved into my personal experience and relationships with the men in my life who had impact. The reasons don’t matter except for the beauty that God brought from ashes in these relationships. I am blessed with men in my life who love and support me. 

My favorite one, of course, is my husband. Lyndon truly loves being a dad and takes delight in children. This is such a common thread in our marriage that it’s no wonder he is a magnet for young men who need a guy like him. He’s honest to a fault, unconditionally loving, and simply has a heart for people. We often have joked that we have so many more than our two boys because their friends are around often and feel at home here. Lyndon created that atmosphere. 

That’s not unlike our Heavenly Father who longs for more than the surface deep formality of relationship. 

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

Abba is the most personal form of the word father in Aramaic and Greek. Paul was a Jew familiar with the tradition and holiness of the God of Heaven and Earth. A God whose name is so holy that it cannot be uttered in everyday language. Yet, Paul teaches us that because if the sacrifice of Jesus, we are children of God. We get to call him Abba, Daddy, Papa.

It took a long time for me to understand the significance of this. I thought that I knew God as my father, but it was the formal, obedient because I needed to earn His love kind of relationship. Honestly, I was more afraid of God than understanding the depth of his love for me. 

Becoming a parent helped me begin to process the depth of God’s love. But watching my husband, and other Godly men, raise up families in love really showed me how unconditional love works and how this relates to Abba God. 

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.” (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

So many people are still in a relationship of obedience out of fear when all God wants is us-faults and all. We don’t have to check off a list of proper behavior to have a good relationship with our Abba. Once we recognize the unconditional love of the Daddy who just wants to be in relationship with us, we will stop self-condemning before we come to Him with our struggles and triumphs. No longer are we bound to a set of rules that can so easily keep our mind fixed on behavior instead if relationship. 

If you, like me, have struggled to fully grasp the depth of the Father, I pray today that the void in your heart is filled with the grace and of our Abba. Let Him hold you today and every day.

© Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved

.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Feelings and Faith

Vulnerable moment: it’s been a crazy week. If I’m being honest, the last six months or more have been wrought with uncertainty and so many questions within myself about my purpose.  I’ve been in a season of transition in our family with adapting to having an independent adult child and an independent teenage son-both of whom are thriving. So my purpose as a mom has shifted into steadfast support and guidance from a distance rather than rushing to the rescue, which I know is where we should be with them. This shift has adjusted our marriage. Lyndon and I are both learning how to navigate this new territory, and I’m so grateful we have each other.  My Daddy died suddenly last year, and I am still grieving the unexpected loss and what could have been. Grief is a strange journey and differs for everyone. What I know is Christ gives me the most profound peace when I feel my turbulent heart trying to sway me. But it certainly is a sadness that is layered. Because of these major life...
Post a Comment
Read more

He’s Already Heard My Prayer

This is one of the most difficult pieces to write. My dad, Steve, passed away this morning unexpectedly. He was the “Music Man” in my world who made life a song.  Daddy was responsible for putting me on the stage. At two years old, he stood me on the altar at church so everyone could watch me sing “Victory in Jesus.”   At twelve, he was teaching me how to set up equipment and mix sound. As a teenager, we wrote songs together. His love of music is so deeply ingrained in me that I feel a piece of that is somehow missing now. Things were not always great between me and Daddy. In fact, we went for a long time without having contact with one another. I’m so grateful that God restored our relationship in his final years. Neither one of us were perfect in our relationship, but I always loved him deeply. So today, I’m heartbroken. Memories are flooding my mind, and there are so many things I still wanted us to share. I know the coming days will be filled with waves of grief and the st...
Post a Comment
Read more

Five Favorite Things

  With Valentine's Day coming up, I've been thinking about the "stuff" that I really like. Flowers are great, and jewelry is nice. But if you want a friend gift or something a little more unique, here are a few ideas. Perhaps this post will help you shop for the perfect gift that will become a "favorite thing." For the Music Lover If you are purchasing for a musician or vocalist, you have a ton of options including a guitar pick necklace or keyring to tickets for a concert. Even vintage gifts like records have made a strong comeback in the music community. Things to consider when purchasing for your musical genius: what is their favorite genre? Who is their favorite artist? Before buying that album, make sure they don't already have it. For the Teacher I can tell you most assuredly what many teachers DON'T need: another mug. Even though this seems like a simple, cute gift, as a teacher, I have difficulty parting with any gift from students. I have ...
Post a Comment
Read more