Father – Abba – Dad
Feb 1
Romans 8:15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.
We have been given a spirit. This is such a clear indication of the regeneration of our spirit at rebirth. But even more than that it means that we have been made to be such that we can live free from fear. The following is shared by Jeff Voegtlin:
'The word “Abba,”? is a transliteration. The word “Father,”? is a translation. There is no English word that adequately conveys the meaning of the Aramaic word, “Abba.”? This is why the translators gave us this transliteration “Abba.” The word conveys a close intimacy that is reserved for parents and children. We might compare the word to dad, but this doesn’t do it justice.
God sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, “Abba, Father.”? Just as the Son prayed intimately to the Father in the garden, the Spirit of the Son comes to our hearts and prays in the same intimate way with the Father. And, this is how we should address God in prayer — Father — Abba, Father. The Lord’s model prayer uses the phrase “our father, which art in heaven.”? When the spirit prays for us, he addresses the father. We should, as a son, we go to our father with our needs. In heaven’s economy, the Father is the “administrator,”? and He is the One Who receives requests. He is the One Who did the sending.
We should be bold in prayer; we should also develop a respectful familiarity. Be precise in your prayers. Who are you praying to? Is that Who Jesus prayed to? Is that Who Jesus taught you to pray to? Is that Who the Holy Spirit prays to when you haven’t the words? Jesus is our Savior and brother, but God is our Abba, Father who sent our Savior. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and dwells in us, but God sent Him to us. God the Father directs the workings of the trinity and we should bring our petitions to Him.
And we can!!! Not as a petitioner before a court or board; not as a citizen before a king; not as a servant before his lord; not as a friend to another able friend; not as a brother to a willing brother; not as a customer to a responsible provider; but as a son to a father.
“Abba, Father.”? The Son cried, “Abba, Father”? in the garden. The Spirit, witnessing the adoption in us cries, “Abba, Father.”? Led by the Spirit of God, and out from under the bondage of the flesh, we cry, “Abba, Father.”? We are heirs of God. Boldly, pray to the Father; relate to Him in an intimate way, as only a son and father could do; and live in the confidence of sonship, not the fear of servanthood'.