Abba Father

Happy Sunday!

Romans 5:7-8 says, "Very few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is for a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person.  But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us."(Easy-to-Read Version).  Don't miss this!  We are so loved by the FATHER that he sent his only son to pay the price for us, even though we were not good enough to deserve it.

It's Father's Day in the USA.  We take time to celebrate the men who have stepped up to the plate, reared their own children, and even raised the children of other men.  We celebrate fathers, step-fathers, god-fathers, uncles, cousins, and neighbors who were willing to invest in the lives of children, and still invest in the lives of adults. They didn't discriminate in their love, they shared it with their families and ours.  This is a godly pursuit.  

Our lesson today in Children's church was about Famous Dads.  Do you know the fathers that made the role call in the Bible?  Adam, the first father.  Methuselah the longest living father.  Job, the father that lost 7 children in one day.  Abraham, the father of faith.  Jacob, the father that showed favoritism.  Moses, the father that led the Israelites out of captivity.   Joshua, the father that led them into the Promised Land.  Boaz, the father that found a beautiful wife in an unlikely place.  David, the father that was a man after God's on heart.  Solomon, the wisest father that encouraged his son to stay away from evil men.  I could go on and on.  But I won't.
Fathers are unique.  Fathers are special.  Fathers are imperfect.  Fathers are necessary.

Our heavenly father has laid out the blueprint for fatherhood.  He understands how hard it is to have hard-headed, stubborn, and ungrateful children.  He knows how easy it is to be misunderstood.  He only wants the best for us, but we think he's out to get us.  He wants us to prosper and be in good health, but we blame him for our calamity.  And yet he still loves us, with an everlasting love.

Romans 8:15 says, "You see, you have not received a spirit that returns you to slavery, so you have nothing to fear. The Spirit you have received adopts you and welcomes you into God’s own family. That’s why we call out to Him, “Abba! Father!” as we would address a loving daddy."(Voice).  Galatians 4:6 says, "And because we are his sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, so now we can rightly speak of God as our dear Father."(Living Bible).

Love and prayers, Cynthia