Abba, Father!
Some people view God as a life-coach. There's no real relationship, at least not on a personal level because joining a church is kind of like making the team. God is perceived to communicate with commands, rather than soft-spoken encouragement or loud directives. One's responsibility is to train hard and perform well.
Others think of God more as a teacher. To them, being a Christian means studying harder, learning more, memorizing doctrines and Scripture, and then being able to regurgitate it at all the right moments. The important thing is getting a good grade and graduating to the next level of spirituality. God's role is to make sure we spell His name right or to give detention when we misbehave.
Then there are those who view God as their boss. Getting a good job in the Kingdom is priority one. Christians are just so many employees who are responsible for getting to work on time and putting in a solid religious 8 hours.
Jesus always spoke of God as "My Father," whether by mere mention or in prayer. Jesus said this is ALL of His prayers recorded in Scripture...with one exception. From the cross He cried, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34) The reason for this exception is not just because Jesus was drawing from an Old Testament verse (Psalm 22:2). He cries out "My God" instead of "My Father" because of the judgment He was under. As He hung on the cross for us, Jesus regarded His relationship to God as judicial, not paternal. But in all the other instances where Jesus prayed, He always addressed God as His Father.
This would have been one more shocking thing about Jesus in Jewish culture, a people who would hardly utter the name, "Yahweh," who, even when spelling it, would leave letters out in reverence. He was rarely referred to as Father in the Old Testament. It was uncharacteristic. That depth of intimacy with God Almighty was hardly to be found. To the Jewish mind this would have been disrespectful to address God in such a familiar way. Yet EVERY TIME Jesus prayed, He called God His Father.
Even more significant is that Jesus specifically says, "Abba," which is a word used to express the intimacy, security and tenderness of a family relationship. When a Jewish child is weaned, they are taught to say "abba" (daddy) and "imma" (mommy). Jesus spoke to God like a child to its father: simply, inwardly, confidently. This reveals the heart of His relationship with God.
When Paul wrote to the Romans (8:15-16) and Galatians (4:6) saying that we as God's children may likewise address our Father in this way, the depth of that intimacy with God secured for us by the cross of Christ becomes joyfully seen! Just think of it! The one true God who calls you with the promise of perfect love is none other than your Father, Abba! You don't need to fear an abusive grasp or perfectionistic expectation. He longs to embrace you, to remove fear, to soothe your wounds and protect you. Zephaniah 3:17 says that God rejoices over you with singing! This is Father God!
Have you ever wondered how close you're allowed to get to God? Can you imagine that there's more and still more than you've ever dreamed of knowing about Him? I feel spiritually frustrated sometimes, that, like a toddler who struggles to communicate, my language is too limited to convey how much I love Him and desire to keep knowing, exploring Him. Would the Father ever turn you away? Maybe we don't have because we've become content and stuck. Maybe we don't have because we feel we're too old to Ask, Seek and Knock, like we should know better by now. Maybe we don't have because we don't trust due to hurt caused by others.
Or, maybe it's time to dig deeper to depths of our beings, the seat of all desires that really boil down to crying out, "ABBA!!! FATHER!!!" Push in. Ask the questions. Climb on the lap. Be held and experience safety and refuge. Play. Sit under the voice of the One who knows best. Just be.
Quietly Confident, Amen, Holy Holly!
ReplyDeleteI Am Grateful your children are doing better; continuing to prayerfully think of you.