Only A Word, But What A Word

It is only a small word. It is spoken in many languages, Pere (French) Padre (Spanish) Pater (Greek), Baba (Arabic), Vater (German), Abba (Hebrew/Aramaic) and Daddy (English). All of these words are Father. When we say this word, many emotions and thoughts come to our mind. Whether we know it or not, the word Daddy stir within our hearts a certain thought pattern about our lives under the watchful eyes of father.

The Apostle Paul, in the book of Romans gives us many views about God’s mercy and kindness. He displays His love for mankind: what He did to save them and redeem them. Consider these blessed thoughts.

Paul reminds us in this book that God having regenerated us; He now graciously justifies us. In that great judicial act, God the judge declares us “not guilty” of our sins and “righteous in His sight”, not for any work we have done, but only for the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us and received by faith alone. And we are totally passive as this grand courtroom drama plays out. Our sins are laid on Christ and satisfied entirely by His self-sacrifice. His righteousness is granted to us so that we are now clothed in His glorious robes. Our sins are forever forgiven and forgotten by a Holy God and we are accepted by Him.

But this is still not all – God’s not through. He continues on with yet another judicial act. In this heavenly courtroom, God the judge adopts us as His children, taking us into His holy and heavenly family. We are now children of God officially and formally. He is our father and we are his children. This is the objective reality that Paul calls to our attention over and over again in these verses – for you (include your name here) have not received a spirit of slavery but instead a spirit of adoption – you are adopted as a son! Then again in verse 16 – His Spirit testifies with our spirits that we are children of God. And if children – v. 17 –, we are then heirs. We are His children, His sons and His daughters, by the grace of adoption. God’s adopting us is not based on our merits, not only what we’ve done in the past, or might do in the future. Rather, He adopts us though we’ve lived as His enemies!

Because of this kind, compassionate, loving and gracious act by our Savior, Jesus Christ, we have been made sons and daughters of the Father. We now can cry to Him ABBA–FATHER. What a word that is to call Him--Father.

Our Lord Himself taught us the value of this one word when He gave us the greatest prayer ever–the Lord’s Prayer. In it, you and I, lift our voices to heaven saying, “Our Father.” Here is in the intimacy. Here is the affection. Here is the love that is being poured out upon us undeserving sinners to call the Holy and righteous God–FATHER.

This word is nothing but pure grace. Free grace is offered to you and me to call Him Daddy, Abba, or what ever language you prefer. He is really our Father who wants what is best for us.

Because of the mercy of God and for the sake of His only Son Jesus Christ, we who have been justified are called His children. We have His name put upon us. The Spirit of His Son is given to us. We are under His fatherly care and concern, admitted to all the liberties and privileges of the sons of God, made heirs of all the promises, and fellow heirs with Christ in glory.

By this word our life has changed. Those of you who are fathers know what I am saying, when your child calls you “daddy.” Whether you are a young father or a seasoned one, that word is very endearing. There is much benefit to this one simple little word.

The bonding of Father and son can only take place through time spent together nurturing the mutual relationship. It cannot begin too early in the child’s life: the child as an infant hearing both the mother’s and father’s voice. Games are important in bonding and nurturing that relationship. On the surface, it may seem that father and son playing a game together is simply to pass the time or for the sake of the game. But something deeper happens in the process of the activity that revolves around the relationship. It is a bonding between father and son that is hard to express in words the dynamic that takes place.

Applying this human relationship to our heavenly Father means that our relationship with our ABBA FATHER is nurtured by spending quality time with Him. This time wraps around the activities of reading the Bible, in worship, at the Lord’s Table, and by prayer and meditation. In regard to this most important relationship, while God may be invisible and we cannot physically see and touch Him, yet it’s a most real relationship and grows and strengthens through spending quality time with Him.

This month, we are honor fathers for their love and dedication to their family. Remember to honor your heavenly Father for sending our brother Jesus to save us and make part of the family of the faith. Thank God for fathers and of most importance our heavenly Father.