“You received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15)
When I became a Christian at eleven years old, I had no problem relating to Jesus. He came as a baby, experienced boyhood like me, grew into an adult, and, as a carpenter, knew what it meant to have a job.
Later, I began to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. I realized that the same Spirit who lived in Jesus and raised Him from the dead now lived in me. How amazing, I thought.
Something was missing, however, in my relationship with the Father. I saw Him as someone very distant who never got off His throne. He just sat there. I knew He was my heavenly Dad, and I could go to Him through Jesus, but He seemed remote and unapproachable.
Then I noticed that Jesus always pointed people to His Father, like He’s saying, “I can’t wait to tell you about My Dad! I want to introduce you to my Father; in fact, I want you to pray in my name, but talk to my “Dad” or “Papa” (Abba in Hebrew).
Everyone was shocked when Jesus referred to God as “Papa,” especially the Pharisees! The Jews didn’t even write God’s name with the vowels because it was too holy to be uttered by human beings. God was the original “He who must not be named!”
Then Jesus calls Him Daddy!
Part of Jesus’ mission was to reveal the Father’s true nature and restore us to a relationship with Him. But once we’re saved, the Father wants to enjoy and experience us for Himself, and us Him.
I believe we’re living in a time when God longs to bring us into a new level of intimacy. He’s pursuing us; He desires intimacy and communion; He wants to impart something of His very Self into His children. Just as He breathed into the nostrils of Adam, so He wants to breathe His nature into us— His character, His presence, and the authority He has given us through His Son.
If you are not already praying this way, I encourage you to begin calling God your heavenly Dad. Start doing it verbally, out loud. Don’t be afraid. Even if you have had an abusive earthly Father, God wants to heal you and be everything your heart cries out for. Once you start referring to Him as your heavenly Daddy, a new realm of prayer, authority, and experience will open to you. Jesus had this kind of intimacy with the Father, and He models it for us. Then and now, He invites His disciples to “have what I have with my Father.”
God is not distant and unapproachable but rather humble and loving. He comes down off His throne and lowers Himself to interact with His children. He’s our Father, after all, and a perfect One at that.
