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by Dennis Wheeler
In the Bible God is given many names. Just to mention a few...Yahweh, Adonai, Elohim, El Shaddai, Rock. We also look for images and adjectives that could somehow describe His greatness...Fortress, Provider, Deliverer.
But then one day about two-thousand years ago, a Jewish carpenter used a word that no one had ever dreamed of using...ABBA!! Abba was a very tender and intimate word, similar to our word 'daddy'. 'ABBA' loves us deeply, 'ABBA' desires that we spend time with Him, 'ABBA' will meet our deepest needs, 'ABBA' wants what is best for His children.
God calls us His children and wants us to know Him as 'ABBA'!
Yet, it could be that your earthly father maybe wasn't all that great of a father. He had unrealistic expectations of you...he was critical of you...or maybe even abused you. These experiences have made it difficult for you to understand God as your Heavenly Father and you have some misconceptions about what kind of father God really is.
Kyle Idleman says that there are three common misconceptions of God...
#1 - God is an ANGRY Father.
Some people see God as an overly authoritative father they should fear and they do their best to avoid Him. Yet, 1 John 4:18 says this..."There is no fear in love." When we accept Him as our Savior we don't have to be afraid of an angry father.#2 - God is an UNREASONABLE Father.
Many folks perceive God as a father who has given too many rules, regulations and unfair demands. His goal is to take all the fun out of life. Yet, everything God does is motivated by love. His high standards don't make Him unreasonable or unfair, but reveal Him as a Father who loves us and has our best interest in mind.#3 - God is an UNPLEASABLE Father.
Maybe growing up you had a father who never said, "I am proud of you." No matter what you did, it wasn't good enough. And you think of God as a father who is always disappointed with you. Yet, because of Jesus, we stand before God without fault! Ephesians 1:4 says..."Long ago, even before He made the world, God chose YOU to be His very own through what Christ would do for us; He decided then to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault. We who stand before Him will be covered with His love."
The message of the Bible is that we have a Heavenly Father who is aching to pour out His love on His children...and that includes YOU and ME!!
May this upcoming Father's Day bring to you a deeper understanding and appreciation of just how much 'ABBA' loves you!
He serves as the Senior Pastor with southwest Virginia church... a loving church family in Abingdon.
He and his wife Sharon have been married for over 27 years and are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters, one son-in-law, and two precious grandchildren, the second arrived arrived on the scene in September 2004!!
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