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Daddy...

For fourteen straight years our home included at least one teenage girl.  As of February 3rd, 2014 all our daughters are now in their 20's.  Frank grew up with one brother, so his experience with girls was limited to say the least.  I don't know at what age our girls moved from calling Frank, 'Daddy' to the shortened version of just plain, 'Dad'.  As they got older, what I do know is that when I heard any of our girls' voices on the phone or in person, began their conversation with Daddy (in full drawn-out syllables), I knew they were either very sad and needed his comfort, they had made some reasonably big mistake and needed his forgiveness, or they were in need of money and needed his provision.  And let me just tell you, they could always count on his comfort, his forgiveness and his provision. 


Recently during a Bible study entitled, Forgotten God  by Frances Chan, I have been reminded of several names and character traits of our Heavenly Father.  One name that has come up now a couple of times and offered me some "pondering time" is that of Abba.  Like most of you that have heard that name of God, I understood it to mean in the Aramaic language a word similar to our "Daddy".  I found, with a little research, that some scholars don't really agree to that thought, noting that Abba is more closely associated with a personal "my Father" interpretation.


I can only find Abba Father used three times in the Bible - once in Mark at the time of Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane when HE called out to His Father, saying, Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”


The other two references are made by Paul in Romans and Galatians, referring to the fact that "we" have been adopted into God's family as HIS children with all the privileges to call HIM, our FATHER.


Now I would never begin to compare Frank to our Gracious Heavenly Father, but I can appreciate the reality of our Father's provision for an intimate relationship and intentional connection with us.


It is amazing that a holy and righteous God, who created and sustains all things, who is the only all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God, would allow sinful humans to call Him “Daddy” and "My Father", isn't it?


Regardless of scholars' thoughts, the term "Abba Father" is significant in helping us to understand how our Heavenly Father relates to His children, with a close, intimate relationship reminiscent of how a young child would communicate complete trust in her Father.


When we accept His gift of salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection, we are fully His.  That, my dear friends, offers us comfort and peace that cannot be explained or understood in this world's terms... 



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