For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15
A preacher friend of mine was chatting with a teenager, who was sharing with him some of the challenges he encountered as a young Christian. This teenager was not a particularly good student, and struggled in some of his high school subjects. He told the preacher that whenever he sat down to write a test, he would feel overwhelmed by the pressure and would not recall what he needed for the test. He asked the preacher if he had any advice for such situations. The preacher asked him what he prayed for when he sat down to write the test. ‘Do you mean,’ the young man asked in surprise, ‘that God actually wants us to pray about things like that?’ Oh yes, dear child of God, our kind and loving Father not only wants us to pray about things like that, He also cares very deeply about things like that.
Can you think about anything that you plan to do today that you don’t think your Father in Heaven is interested in? Think again! We need to rid our minds of the concept of God our Father as a distant and lofty Deity Who knows and cares little about the small and intimate aspects of our lives. The expression in our text ‘Abba Father’ is very revealing as to His character of caring. ‘Abba Father’ = our own dear Father. His love for us is more tender than that of any parent, and His understanding of our situation and feelings goes far beyond that of an earthly father. He can never misjudge us or fail to grasp exactly what we are going through and what is important to us. As dear as He is to us, we are far more dear and precious to Him.
We have received the Spirit of adoption. There was a time when we knew nothing about this, nor even cared. We were enslaved by the spirit of bondage, the devil. Our salvation changed all that. No longer obliged to submit to the grinding thumb of a cruel taskmaster, we are adopted into the family of God. Our relationship has been transformed from slaves to sons and daughters. The more we appreciate this relationship, the more we will gladly worship our Father. And the more we will be willing to serve and follow Him in glad obedience to His Word.
Whether we whisper it or shout it, the expression – or at least the meaning – Abba Father – should draw us more closely to His caring bosom today. – Jim MacIntosh