Abba PaPa

Son Ray - a personal daddy to his family

God is not just a universal father as we viewed Him in our last post. He is also a personal Father. ”To as many as received Christ, to those he gives the right to become children of God, John.1:12.

Knowing God personally is great but even more profound, we’re known by God. 1 Cor.8:3 (amp) says, “but if one loves God truly, with affectionate reverence, prompt obedience and grateful recognition of His blessing, he is known by God, that is, recognized as worthy of His intimacy and love, and he is owned by Him.

As a member of God’s family, I’m known by God. I’m a person of worth. I am so valuable to God that HE wants an intimate, loving relationship with me. Can anything beat that?

Abba Papa is saying to me: “Ray, I love you so much. You are my treasure. I want to build a close bond with you. I want to be on the basketball court with you. Sit beside you at your computer. Relating with other people right beside you, loving them encouraging them with you. Stuttering with you. Hurting with you. Ray, I want to hang out with you all the time.”

We’re transitioning from a universal view of God a father of all creation, to the most intimate daddyhood of God. Christ set the stage at Gethsemane as seen in Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Picture the scene. Christ in the Garden, confessing his desire to the Father, preferring not to go through the trauma of crucifixion. At the same time His desires are submitted to the Father’s will. He understands that redemption can only be achieved through his sacrifice. Abba Father.

Question: have you had a personal Gethsemane? A time when you really called on God? Possibly a time of desperation. And God didn’t come through for you? What happened? How has that affected your view of God?

Abba PaPa, in Matt:7-11 you tell me that as much as my earthly father wanted to give to me and do for me, how much more you as a perfect father will do for and give to me. I may not enjoy or appreciate the adversity I'm experiencing at this time, but because you are my Abba Papa who promises to work everything (even this adversity) for my good, by faith I thank you PaPa. I love you. I trust you.

Do you catch a glimpse of a personal PaPa God?

In our next post we’ll look more intimately at the Abba PaPa aspect of God including how the view of our earthly parents can affect our view of God.