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, Father

When a man comes to God, he must recognize how great his Maker is and how small he is. God holds the universe in his hand. The Earth is nothing more than a blue orb set in the unknown expanse of the universe. Neil Armstrong said it best when returning to Earth, he put up his thumb, and it blotted out the Earth. The omniscience of God is so far above the wisdom of man. Humanity’s most significant achievements cannot match His ways and works. God can and is everywhere at once. Man is limited in time and space. The heavens are so far above the world of man. Even the sun and moon rule without the efforts of man’s power. When a man compares himself to how great the Lord God is, there is no comparison.

Standing in the presence of an awesome God is incredibly humbling and fearful. But the greatest joy of being a Christian is knowing the blessing of “Abba, Father.” The term ‘abba’ is not a common word in Western culture, but it can still be heard in middle eastern cultures, where the term means “papa.” It is a term of endearment between a child and their father. Jesus called out to His Father in the garden of Gethsemane, calling Him, “Abba, Father.” There is a sense in which this phrase is repetitive, but it shows the closeness of Jesus and His Father. Jesus was not seeking the blessings of just anyone. He shared a deep and abiding love and devotion for His heavenly Father and used “abba” to seek that incredibly intimate need for His Father’s blessing.

Paul explains how Christians can come to the Father and seek the intimate relationship of child and Father like Jesus. As joint heirs with the Son of God, a child of God must recognize they are a child of God with special privileges of heavenly intimacy reserved only for God’s holy people. Only the saved can cry out to the Father with “Abba.” A covenant has been established between the redeemed and the Father. Through the Spirit of adoption, the saved enjoy a relationship with God that is found through the blood of Jesus Christ.

There is no fear of God when a child can call Him “Abba.” The child of God can cry out with joy the Creator of the world, the one who holds all things in the palm of His hand, knows and cares for the little creature on Earth called man who the blood of the Lamb has redeemed. God is a loving Father to His children. He blesses them with His love, provisions, care, and protection. The Father has promised that in death, the child of God can dwell within the walls of His heavenly presence. There is nothing to fear in the heart of the child of God because he has been sanctified to say to God, “Abba, Father.”

God sent Jesus into the world to bring His love to those who were slaves of sin, to adopt them as his very own children. Through the grace of God, those who faced the wrath of God as slaves are not children of God. The Lord has sent the Spirit of Jesus Christ into their hearts so they can call out to their heavenly Father, “Abba, Father.” Those redeemed are no longer slaves but God’s own children. Having been made the children of the heavenly Father, those saved by the blood of the Son are heirs of eternal life.

Thank God for His redeeming love and kindness to allow me to be called His child, allowing me to say to Him, “Abba, Father.” God is so great, but He has given you the opportunity to call Him “Abba, Father.” To have that privilege, you must obey His will. Are you ready to have a relationship with the Creator as “Abba, Father?”