ABBA FATHER
From The HeartPublish date: 06/18/2006
And He was saying, Abba, [which means] Father, everything is possible for You. Take away this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You [will]. Mark 14:36 AMPIn the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus introduced us to a new word –Abba. Abba means “Father,” but a better rendering of Abba would be the word, “Daddy.” Everyone who ever lived on the earth has a father, but not everyone has a “Daddy.” A father is one of the people who were responsible for your very existence, but not every father takes the time or makes the effort to build a relationship with his offspring. Being “Daddy” and not just “Father” requires a special connection with the child. We respect our fathers, but we love our daddies!
Jesus had a special relationship with Father God. He knew Him intimately. He knew Him better than anybody. Most people have the wrong idea about God. They call Him “the Man upstairs;” they believe He is old and grumpy; they believe He is harsh and judgmental; they believe that God is waiting with a big stick to hit them; they believe that He does horrible things to them, like making them sick, to “teach them a lesson;” they think He kills people before their time because He wants them in Heaven; they think He will never be pleased with us no matter how hard or how long we try to please Him; they believe that God spends all His time planning how to destroy man.
Nothing could be farther from the truth! God is none of these things and does none of these things. Anyone who knows God knows how loving and kind he is. He is merciful; gracious; tender; compassionate; slow to anger; abounding in mercy; protective; generous; unselfish; and so many other wonderful things – too many to mention!
There are earthly fathers who are abusive and insensitive and there are earthly fathers who are firm, but kind; who administer correction and discipline, and yet are loving, understanding, and encouraging. God is not an abusive Father. He tells earthly fathers how to treat their wives and children. He tells them to be kind and compassionate and understanding. Why would He tell earthly fathers to be anything that He was not? We must come to know the truth about God. He must not just be “Father” to us, but He must be “Abba Daddy!” We must respect Him, but we must know that He has our best interests at heart and would never harm us. We are His precious treasure! God wants to know us and He wants us to know Him. He desires the intimacy of a Daddy/son and Daddy/daughter relationship with every one of us.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father! 16 The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God. Romans 8:14-16 AMP
The blood of Jesus brings us into relationship with the Father God. The Holy Spirit, living in us, brings us into fellowship with Him. We are not just servants of God – we are children of God! The Holy Spirit works to convey to us the fact that we are children of God. He always reminds us that God is Abba Daddy to us.
Who is Abba Daddy? Daddy loves us; Daddy forgives us; Daddy accepts us exactly as we are; Daddy is proud of us; Daddy wants us to do well and be well, not out of competitiveness, but out of a genuine concern and love; Daddy would give His own life for us (and did); Daddy does not hold anything against us; we are the apple of Daddy’s eye; Daddy watches over and protects us; Daddy provides for us, nothing but the best; Daddy teaches us how to be better people; Daddy picks us up when we fall down; Daddy helps us to fix our problems; Daddy gives us the best advice; Daddy sticks up for us when the devil is a bully; Daddy corrects us when we are wrong; Daddy praises us when we do the right thing!
But when the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born subject to [the regulations of] the Law, 5 To purchase the freedom of (to ransom, to redeem, to atone for) those who were subject to the Law, that we might be adopted and have sonship conferred upon us [and be recognized as God's sons]. 6 And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba (Father)! Father! 7 Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, through Christ. Galatians 4:4-7 AMP