Abba, Father

“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Ga 4:6 AV)

 

When reading this verse, we tend to focus on the term Abba.  That term is less of an official title of God our Father and more of an endearing one.  When we speak of God as Abba Father, we are involving our child-like hearts and emotions and not restricting the title to an authority figure or mentor.  One commentator equates the term to calling our heavenly Father, Daddy.  It is a term of deep love and admiration founded on appreciation and dependence.  We don’t use this term nearly enough.  In our own minds, we see it as less that an Almighty God would deserve.  In doing so, we diminish the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and spirits.  The underlined phrase is my focus this morning.  The Spirit of His Son is indeed the Holy Spirit.  But the prepositional phrase following the identification of the third person of the Trinity gives depth to the term Abba, Father.  As the Son relates to the Father, the Spirit encourages us to do the same.  The term, Abba, Father, is one of substance and devotion.  It is one of mutual love.  It is one that makes God less austere and more familiar.  It is one of complete security, contentment, and affirmation.  This title is one that makes approaching God far easier.  In essence, Abba, Father is the result of the bridge between the saint and God that the ministry of the Holy Spirit provides.

Rarely do we witness a relationship between father and son or father and daughter where friendship, rather than mentorship becomes the stronger foundation.  When our children are younger, they need an authority figure and mentor.  However, as they age, they become more independent and not in need of those things.  That is when a beautiful thing happens.  There is a transition from father to friend.  You are still their father.  You still have wisdom that you can share.  But the relationship changes.  This is where I am with my sons.  Each is exceeding more than I ever did.  They are learning skills I never had the privilege of learning.  Now, I can visit with them on the phone or go to their home and not feel as though they need me or my wisdom.  They ask often enough.  But they don’t need me in that role nearly as much as they did.  In many ways, even though we are separated by distance and time, our relationships are more intimate and less regimented.  We can share what the LORD is doing in each of our lives and ministries knowing iron sharpens iron.  We can reminisce of some of the experiences we have had on the ballfield, the golf course, or the woods and praise the LORD for all the wonderful times.  Now, when my sons call me ‘Dad’ there is a difference from thirty years ago.  There is something behind that name that wasn’t there when they were under my roof.  It is more familiar.  It is more intimate.  It is absent of all the demands that this title may impose.  They do not call me ‘dad’ because they need something.  They call me this because they love me, appreciate me, and hold me in high regard.

The LORD will never cease to be our mentor.  He will never cease to be God.  He will never stop being our authority figure.  He will never cease to chasten us when we go astray.  These things will not change.  But that doesn’t mean we cannot appreciate God and Abbe, Father.  This is the difference between our heavenly Father and the relationships we have with our own dads or children.  Human relationships may transition.  But our relationship with our heavenly Father does not.  It does not transition.  It matures.  As we learn to walk in obedience and faith, the authoritarian nature of our relationship with God becomes less a part of it and the affirming nature of our relationship becomes stronger.  The less we need God to correct us, the more intimate we can become with Him.  The less we need Him to guide us into all righteousness because we are already living that way, the more we can relate to God in the manner spoken above.  This is what we are missing.  We are simply too childish and walk after our own desires resulting in God as mentor and corrector rather than the Father as Friend.  If we are to get to the point of relating to the Father as the Son does, it starts there.  More obedience.  More faith.  Then we can cry onto the LORD as the Son did and call Him, Abba, Father.