Galatians 4:4-7 (New International Version)
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
How do you view Father? How do you view your earthly father? Are they similar?
In a recent meeting with some of my brothers in the faith in a time of accountability and prayer, we began to discuss the concept of God as our Father. One man began to share how God had been trying to teach him this past year to bring everything to him in prayer. He said he has struggled with taking what he sees as the insignificant, meaningless details and “petty” requests to God. “I have what I call my 9-1-1 list, but the little stuff is just so… little.” He gave an example of praying whether or not to go hunting one weekend, for the mere reason that he likes to hunt. In his view, this was not a significant, meaningful, or life-changing thing to pray about. There are more important things to pray about.
Now my friend is not someone who only turns to God in a time of crisis. His view was that this was much to trivial and insignificant to “take up bandwidth” with God. It wasn’t going to emotionally shatter him if he did or didn’t go hunting that weekend, so don’t misunderstand the context of his rationale.
I love the above passage in The Message Version. It says that we cry out “Papa!” I just love that phrasing and I think it’s something we miss in reading the Greek word “Abba!” in the NIV. In the last several months, God has really stretched me in my view of who he is as my Father and my understanding of how he views us as His children.
Three of our children were adopted from Russia two years ago. Our older children spent the better part of 10 years in a Russian orphanage, where they had no father and had no father-like role model at all during their most formative years (from 5-15). They, in particular, struggle with relationships of all kinds. When they came over to the states, they had no concept what relationships exist in a family, with a mom, a dad, a sister or a brother or any of the associated relationships. I only bring this up because one of the barometers of “how they are doing” in terms of relationship building with us, is how much conversation my wife and I get from them.
Unfortunately, these two were brought up in an environment where they were taught “shut up, stay out of sight (especially the orphanage worker’s sight), do what you are told and wait for me to tell you what to do. Don’t tell me anything I don’t ask about.” Consequently, that’s the way their 10 year stint in the orphanages in Russia went and that’s what they still live today.
As I was saying, one of the ways my wife and I measure the progress of our relationship is by how much detail of their daily life we get, without our having to pry and prod it out of them. As their father, I yearn for meaningful conversation with them. I want to know the details of their lives. I want to know they value me and our relationship and that they want to spend time with me.
This is what I shared with my brother. Our Heavenly Father wants to do the same thing! Papa – our Heavenly Daddy – wants to know our every detail. He wants us to converse with him because we have an intimate relationship with Him, just as I want my kids to converse with me because we have (or will have – I pray) and intimate relationship. He doesn’t just want to be the ‘go to’ guy or relagated to a “genie in a bottle” mentality.
He already knows all of my hopes, dreams, fears and everything about me. He knows more about me than I do. He wants my heart. He wants my affection. He wants (and deserves) the my full attention. He wants to be my Daddy.
Put away your 9-1-1 list and just talk to your Daddy. He’s always waiting and ready to talk.
Running After Papa…