Daddy! I Belong to YOU!

I love reading the Bible. I love how even though it was written by many different people over thousands of years, I still believe it to be inspired by One who is the Creator.

The Bible is a collection of stories; some that have already taken place (historical), and some that are yet to be (prophetic). It also contains songs that express emotions (Psalms) and instructions for how to do life.

It is book that has an over-arching theme of how we as man chose to not do what God told us to do and how He wants to and did redeem us.

It is historical because it is HIS story. And, yes, I believe that God still speaks through it into our lives today.

It is inspired by the Lord and therefore it takes His Holy Spirit to make it alive to our understanding so that we can know how to apply it to our lives.

In the Old Testament, when God spoke to people through His prophets, they couldn’t see past the person saying the words, and they rejected God’s message. So, they ended up with a false perception of who God is.

So, God came in the form of a human; Immanuel, God among us.

And when He came (Jesus) He not only died, was buried, and resurrected, but He also showed us what the Father is like.

Jesus said that He only said and did what the Father does. So, we can read the Bible stories about Jesus (Gospels) and get a better picture as to what Father God really does think and say and how He acts.

Jesus said; “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” (John 5:19)

And then, after reading the stories about Jesus, we can read the rest of the whole Bible and we will see that this same loving Father was showing His love and mercy all the time.

We are the ones who missed it.

And that is OK because He didn’t leave it up to us to figure it all out by ourselves. He sent His Holy Spirit to speak to EVERYONE to draw us to Himself for both forgiveness and relationship.

And it is the Holy Spirit who is put into our hearts when we receive Jesus’ gift of salvation. Through this we are able to hear and be taught by the Father Himself as His children.

“And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” (Galatians 4:6)

Think about that. He could have put inside of us other words but He chose these words; ABBA, Father…which means “Daddy”.

He could put anything inside of us so that we would say it to Him...

what He put inside of us, what He wants to hear us say is DADDY!

He could have put inside of us… “You are worthy of praise, You are holy, I love You with all my heart, holy, holy, holy, holy…” to remind us that He alone is good and pure and holy.

He could have put inside of us… “I will praise You with everything that I have…” to remind us that we are created to worship Him alone.

He could have put inside of us… “I’m sorry, I am the scum of the earth, I don’t deserve to live…” to remind us that He could squash us at any moment.

He could have put inside of us… “I’m a sinner!” to remind us that we are prone to sin and walk away from Him.

The one who said; “Let there be light!” chose to put inside of us the Spirit that cries out ‘DADDY!’

In fact, the only time that Jesus EVER referred to the Father as “My God” was when He was on the cross paying for our sins (Matthew 27:46).

Even in the Garden just before His trial He called out to His Daddy: “Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for You. Please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.” (Mark 14:36)

And it occurred to me that it isn’t just because He likes us to call Him “Daddy”; all fathers love to hear those words…

He put “Daddy” into our hearts so that when we call out ‘DADDY’ during moments of worship or fear and anxiety, WE will hear the word and realize that we are connected to One who can help us and does help us.

“Daddy” communicates to US that we are His children.

“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)

“Daddy” communicates to US that He will provide for us as His children.

Jesus said; “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So, if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.” (Matthew 7:9-11)

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

That means that if we don’t know Him, we go to Jesus and ask Jesus to take us to the Father.

And He will because that is why Jesus came. When Jesus said the word; "FATHER", He changed everything!

And now, He has invited us into this reality...into this place of belonging...where we call God our DADDY...our PAPA...our ABBA!

He longs for us to call out to Him today; “DADDY!”

All Scripture taken from Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.