Abba | Thoughts About God

Papa

Thoughts_About_God — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 08:03:32 +0000

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” Romans 8:15 (The Message)

It was the early 1990’s. A room full of teachers sat at long wooden tables in a dimly lit, stuffy room. Magazines lay in disorderly piles on the tables along with glue, several pair of scissors, and large sheets of blank white paper. The instructions were simple: cut out pictures illustrating your view of the character of God and paste the pictures onto the paper, forming a collage.

After a few moments of silence, the teachers – accustomed, of course, to totalitarian-induced obedience – began the project and within thirty minutes, several large posters were complete.

Although the project organizers suspected what might be the general direction of the participants’ choices, they were amazed at the volatility expressed. No cute baby pictures, no frothy clouds, no pastoral scenes. Instead, the formerly blank sheets had overlapping cut outs of atomic explosions, mutilated bodies, storm-ravaged houses, bloody slaughterhouse scenes.

These were people who had not yet heard of the “tender mercy of our God“. (Luke 1:78), or “the kindnesses of the Lord” (Psalm 63:7). They didn’t know that God longed to be known as a tender, loving “Abba,” or “Papa” as Eugene Peterson translates in the word The Message.

What pictures would you have cut out of the magazines? In Abba’ Child, Brennan Manning writes that we who are Christians have the same relationship with God as Jesus had. “He invites and calls us to share the same intimate and liberating relationship”.

How magnetic our lives could be if we only reflected to the world God’s radical and tender love.

I sometimes forget that the all-wise, all-knowing God is also my “Papa“, a God who longs for me to develop an intimate relationship. Help me, God, to express my love for you and increasingly feel your love for me.

By Marilyn Ehle
used by permission

Adopted by God

Devotionals — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 07:03:07 +0000

“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than anyone. No one can steal them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:29

Years ago, after giving birth to our three girls, my husband and I decided we needed a son in our family. We decided to adopt a son – he was 15 months old when we were introduced to him, and we fell in love with him. He had dark brown hair and beautiful brown eyes. He was a very cute toddler.

He has been our son for many years and never once have we thought about not being his parents. So also, when God adopts us into His family, when we accept Jesus Christ into our lives as our Lord and Savior, He will never stop being our Father. The Bible tells us that “no one can steal us out of His hand.”

J.I. Packer in His devotional, “Knowing God Through the Year”, writes this about being adopted into God’s family. “In adoption, God takes us into his family and fellowship – he establishes us as his children and heirs. Closeness, affection, and generosity are at heart of the relationship.”

There were some difficult times during the years with him, but we always loved him and he received all the benefits of being our child. Never was our relationship a question in our minds -he was always our son. We never stopped loving and praying for him. We adopted him and he was our beloved son.

Being adopted into God’s family is a very safe relationship. He is our “Abba” Father. He is our Everlasting Father. He is our safe place. Do you know that?

Thank you, Father, for adopting us into your family and that no one can snatch us out of your hands. Because of Jesus Christ, we will always be your children, even through the days or years when we are rebellious children. It is so secure to know that you are always reaching out to us and that you always love us. Amen.

By Katherine Kehler

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Blessing Of Your Heavenly Father

Devotionals — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 08:03:12 +0000

God rejoices as your Abba.

You are His child on the authority of His Word. He ordained you and brought you forth.

Hear God’s Word for you in Psalm 22:9. The psalmist said,

“You brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast.”

And in Psalm 71:6. “From birth I have relied on you…I will ever praise you.”

Receive God’s work as He cleanses deep wounds that you received from words and actions in your family of origin. Receive the ministry of Jehovah-Rapha, the healing covenant name of eternal God, as He works in the core of your being. Receive His healing, blessing, and deep release. The Spirit of your Father lives in you to heal and make you whole.

The Spirit of truth and the God of all mercy is ready to bring new life. Receive His cleansing from all hurtful memories, feelings, and emotions. Jesus died to set you free. Release all pain to Him. God promised in His word that He would wash you and make you whiter than snow (Isaiah 1:18).

Be blessed as God fills up the hole in your heart, those empty spaces, that bottomless pit that craves nearness, affirmation, connection, and significance, and yet fears it, is unable to receive it, and runs away from it. Be at peace, and receive healing from wounds caused by lack of bonding. Receive cleansing from attachment wounds, as Father-God binds you to Himself with cords that cannot be broken.

God fed His Son with His words of approval that nourished Him emotionally.

“A voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased‘” (Mark 1:11).

These words strengthened Jesus in His inner being. If the Son of God needed these words of affirmation from His Father, how much more do you!

You longed to hear words like that from your earthly father. Receive your heavenly Father’s words, “I love you. I am pleased with you.” Let your heavenly Father, father you.

Be blessed to rest secure and safe in His love.

By Sylvia Gunter
Used by Permission

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ABBA

Devotionals — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 07:03:37 +0000

“Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:6

He heard the high-pitched whine echo through the house. “Daddyyyy!” He dropped the screwdriver he held as he repaired the door hinges and dashed through each room until he found the source of the plea. His four-year-old daughter, sniffling with puffy eyes, pointed to a black spot moving slowly across the pink polka-dotted area rug in the middle of her room. A spider.

Abba was an Aramaic term of endearment, similar to “daddy.” It depicted a loving relationship, a trust and protective bond. I recall a sign that read, “Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy.” How true. Just because our biological father was involved in our creation in our mother’s womb does not make him a daddy. Unconditional love does.

Through adoption by faith in Jesus Christ we are more than just something which was created. We are God’s children. What does that mean? Daddy will come when we call. Our security, trust and comfort are His top priority.

The privilege to call the Creator of the universe “Daddy” also means we share a divine inheritance. Our kinship is eternal. We cannot be disowned. And just as we take on the characteristics of our earthly father, so we begin to take on those of our Heavenly Father when we allow His Spirit to dwell in our hearts.

Abba, thank You for loving us and being there for us whenever we call. Thank You for opening Your arms to us, for disciplining us through Your Spirit, and for teaching us to love as You do. Most of all, thank You for sending Your Son who passes on our kinship in You when we give our hearts, minds and souls to Him. Amen.

Thought: Picture yourself, no matter your age, crawling on Abba’s lap to receive His comfort, love and guidance. It’s okay. None of us are ever too old or self-efficient to not need that!

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission

If you don’t know Jesus as your Father and Abba and would like to start that tender, wonderful relationship with him, you can start having it today. It starts by saying a simple, heart-felt, prayer where you surrender your heart to Him and ask him in. Here is a sample prayer:

Lord, thank You for dying so we can be set free from all of guilt and sin — no matter how big or small. Your blood has erased all of our sin. Thank You so much! Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen

It is the first step. Keep learning more….