Abba, Father by JENNIFER GUTHRIE, EDITOR
There are many different names of God listed in the Bible. Each name helps us to understand different aspects of who God is, His character, and sometimes how He relates to us. One of those names, mentioned throughout the Bible, is “Abba.”
The definition of Abba is literally “father.” It indicates
a relationship with a deep intimacy. Abba is mentioned three times in the New Testament — interestingly enough, it is only used by Paul and Jesus himself. If we look at the example of Jesus and God the Father, we know that they had a deep relationship because of their intertwined iden- tity being the Father-Son duo of God.
If we look throughout other passages where Jesus is
interacting and crying out to God the Father, we can see the deep, intimate bond they share as a father and son. In his apprehension of the pain he knew he would endure on the cross, Jesus cried out to God (Mark 14:36). In his most vulnerable positions, Jesus cried out to God the Father. If you think of the times when you are feeling most afraid or vulnerable, who would you allow to come into your vulnerability with you? I believe that most of you would say those who you have the closest, most trusting relationships with — parents, spouses, a dear friend.
Further, Jesus tells us to call God our Father — he
wants us to have a personal relationshipwith our Heavenly Father. In Matthew 6, we see an account of Jesus’s instruc- tion on how to pray; in Matthew 6:5-15, Jesus uses the word “Father” to refer to God a total of six times. He says, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do ... Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name ...” (Matt. 6:7-9). God knows us, knows our needs; he knows our prayers before we even ask.
In Galatians, we see Paul use the word Abba, when he
says, “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!” (Gal. 4:6). At the point of salvation — when we believe that Jesus is the one true God and savior of the world — we are welcomed into the family of God, adopted sons and daughters of the King of Kings. Paul says, because of our standing with God, we can cry out to him with an intimate name that signifies our own potential for an intimate relationship with God. God has compassion on us time and time again when
we know God for who he truly is. The psalmist says, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him” (Ps. 103:13).
Throughout the Bible, we see God take an active role
in the lives of His people, from the beginning of creation with Adam and Eve, the prophets, all the way to the New Testament — Jesus, Paul, John, and more. In the same way, we see the impact that earthly fathers have on their children when they take active roles in their lives — and unfortunately when they do not take active roles.
Fathers have the potential to play such an integral role
in the lives of their children — from their presence or their absence. We can look to the Bible to see the roles fathers play and why they are important in the lives of their fami- lies and their children.
In Second Samuel 7:1-17, the Lord speaks to Nathan
and gives us just a small insight into how God gives us the perfect example of a father to his nation, Israel. In this passage of Scripture, God tells Nathan that he needs a house to live among his people. He goes on to give exam- ples of how he has cared for the Israelites — he has been a protector, sustainer, provider, teacher, discipliner, and more. The Lord says to Nathan, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him ... And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.” (2 Sam. 7:14-16).
A godly father can give us insight into how our heav-
enly father cares for us. Although earthly fathers are not perfect like God, they can point their children to the Lord through discipleship, teaching, discipline, and in general, just playing active roles in the lives of their children.
If you have a father in your life — biological, adopted,
or otherwise taking on the role of a father-figure — who has made an impact on your life, honor that man in your life, not just on Father’s Day, but each day. Speak words of thank- fulness and love back into the lives of those fathers who have poured into you. If you know someone who is lacking a father figure in their life and you can in some way facilitate that, take action, because a godly father figure can make the world of difference in the lives of their children.
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