Kingdom of God – Abba

“…you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, ‘Abba, Father.’ For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8.15-16, NLT)

It seems very fitting to begin this series on the Kingdom of God with ‘Abba, Father’.

Our Queen’s full title is: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. Yet to Prince Charles, she is simply ‘mummy’!

Jesus said that when we pray, we should begin: “Our Father in heaven…” Isn’t it amazing that the Creator of the Universe – the King of kings and Lord of lords – invites us to call Him ‘abba, father’, daddy! It’s not a formal way of addressing Him; it’s a familiar and intimate term. As His children, you are invited to call Almighty God ‘abba’ or ‘daddy.’ What an incredible privilege! This is a million times more extraordinary than Prince Charles being able to call the Queen ‘mummy’! And consider who that makes you!

Becoming His son or daughter is not a reward for hard work; it is simply His gift to you when you put your faith and trust in His Son Jesus. The Apostle John said, “…to all who believed [Jesus] and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1.12, NLT).

“Our Father in heaven…” Isn’t it amazing that the Creator of the Universe – the King of kings and Lord of lords – invites us to call Him ‘abba, father’, daddy!

Look at what the Father said at Jesus’ baptism: “You are my Son, my cherished one, and my greatest delight is in you!” (Mark 1.11, TPT). How much had Jesus done at this point? Nothing. His ministry hadn’t begun. He didn’t earn Father’s love and approval. He had His Father’s love and pleasure before He had done anything. The same is true for you. Remember, you are a human being, not a human doing. Father loves you for who you are, not for what you achieve or can do for Him. Ask Him now to let you feel His love and pleasure today.

For many of us, relating to God as Father can be difficult when our earthly experience of a father has not been good. Perhaps your father was absent or abandoning or addicted or apathetic or achievement-driven or authoritarian or abusive, rather than attentive, affectionate and affirming. My own father had gone by the time I was born. Even when I met him for the first time aged 21 years, he wasn’t interested as he had other family by then. I don’t think it was a coincidence that I found it very difficult to relate to God as Father.

When you know whose you are, you can know who you are. You are not defined by your looks, your academic qualifications, your job, your bank account, the size of your house, the number of friends on Facebook or anything else the world can offer. You are defined fundamentally by the status of your relationship with God – after all, it’s the only thing you can take with you when this life ends!

My own father had gone by the time I was born. Even when I met him for the first time aged 21 years, he wasn’t interested… I don’t think it was a coincidence that I found it very difficult to relate to God as Father.

In one of my favourite stories in the Bible, the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15.11-32), when the prodigal (wasteful, extravagant) son returns home after coming to his senses, he does not get what he deserves. The parable is better entitled ‘the prodigal Father’ as he is extravagant and wasteful in lavishing love on his profligate son! Note in particular:

• Father runs to his son while he’s still a long way off – undignified and unheard of for the father and head of the family in that culture to behave like this!
• He shows compassion and mercy, not anger and judgment.
• He kisses his son, and the verb tense used here suggests he keeps on kissing him!
• The son doesn’t get through his entire apology! The father quickly moves on to the healing, restorative bit!
• Father puts on him a robe signifying sonship and honour. He belongs; he’s secure.
• He puts on his son a ring signifying authority, that he could act in His Father’s name.
• He puts sandals on him signifying freedom – he’s a son, not a servant.

Abba Father does the same for you. You are no longer a stranger; you are not a slave (you once were, to sin); you are not even primarily a servant (see John 15.15). You are a son or daughter, and a friend of God’s.

• Can you relate to God as Father?
• Are you continually filled with an awareness of how much Father (‘abba’, lit daddy!) loves you?
• Are you aware that Father takes delight in you and He thinks good thoughts about you all the time?
• Do you know that Father rejoices over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17)? 
• Why not ask God for His help to dismantle any protective walls around your wounded heart so that His love can flow in.
• The longest journey in the Christian life is from the head to the heart. Pray for an experience of Father’s love for you, so you can echo what the apostle John said, ‘And we have come to know (lit. ‘experience’) and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love’ (I John 4:16).

In a difficult season of my life about 15 years ago, as I read today’s recommended book (see end), God powerfully revealed Himself to me as a Father who simply loved me for me; I did not need to strive for His approval or affection. It was such a relief and release. It completely changed my approach to the Christian life.

If you have time, take a look at Ephesians 3.14-19 in the Amplified version of the Bible, which contrasts knowing God’s love in theory with experiencing it in practice. You can find the Amplified version (along with many others) on the YouVersion app, which you can download for free! Consider the extent of Father God’s love for you. Ask Father God to flood your whole being afresh with His love.

Here’s a good news story from 2014:

K says, “I was brought up in a military family; we attended church on a weekly basis. When I was about 10 years old, I lost my younger brother. This time was so hard; I didn’t understand why he died and why he was taken away. When I reached the age of 14, I had to make a choice of attending church on my own, due to my parents giving up and leaving the church. It was a difficult time for me. I chose to stay and continued to attend the youth group. My relationship with my father deteriorated. I felt rejected and unloved by him, and he stopped having regular contact with me.

During the evening celebration on Sunday, I had an incredible breakthrough. During the worship I received a picture of a hand; written in the middle of it was my name and the words that came with the picture was ‘Your name will never be wiped away; your true identity is within me alone.’’ This was the first time I truly was able to know that I have a Father who designed me and created me and loves me for who I am. It has been such a difficult thing for me to be able to call God ‘Father’, because my earthly father hasn’t been a positive role model to me. But during this evening celebration, I felt that this wall totally break down and I actually felt that, no matter what my earthly father has done to me, I have a father God who never lets me down and will always accept me”.

Heavenly Father. Thank you for welcoming me into your family as a son/daughter. Help me to feel your love and pleasure, not just to know it in my head. Take any walls down from around my heart that prevent me from experiencing your love. Amen.

Recommended Reading:

Experiencing Father’s Embrace by Jack Frost (2002). Published by Destiny Image