It is my prayer that these words of hope will encourage you and bring you comfort. This month, I decided to take a deeper look at the word Abba. It is a intimate name for God that has become one of my favorite ways of referring to my beloved Father. This week has been a difficult week for me as I have been physically drained by my monthly IV infusions and emotionally drained by the addition of medical diagnoses to my already long list. Words like adrenal insufficiency, adrenal crisis, and Stiff Man's Disease all feel daunting. I'll be honest: at first, I felt very overwhelmed by all of this. Thankfully, my Abba Father, who is always gracious and merciful, whispered quieting words of hope and peace into my soul and heart and I felt His wondrous peace wrap around me like a healing balm exactly when I needed His reassurance the most. Furthermore, He knew I'd need reminded of His deep love for me: His beloved and chosen child at this particular moment in my life. I love watching His mighty hand work all things for my good. I feel cherished. It is my prayer that you, precious one, will come to know God this intimately and feel loved, cherished, wanted, sought, and chosen by God as well.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word Abba has Greek origins from Aramaic translating to daddy. Furthermore, it defines Abba as 1.) An intimate term for God as Father and 2.) A title of honor given to the Deity (God) in the New Testament.
The most interesting fact my word study research revealed is that "this Syriac or Chaldee word (Abba) is found (only) three times in the New Testament (not at all in the Old Testament) and in each case is always followed by its Greek equivalent which is translated 'father.' It is a term expressing warm affection and filial (loving and devoted son or daughter) confidence. It has no perfect equivalent in our language." Easton's Bible Dictionary
Knowing this intimate term expresses warm affection from loving and devoted children to our heavenly Father makes the term Abba Father that much more special to me. It makes me feel so much closer to my beloved Father.
The three verses where Abba Father are found in the New Testament are Mark 14:36, Romans 8:15, and Galatians 4:6. In Mark 14:36, Jesus calls out to his Abba Father in prayer while in the garden of Gethsemane. After telling his disciples that he was overwhelmed and deeply troubled (Mark 14:34), he falls to the ground and prays to God asking for this burden to be taken from him but submitting to God's plan and will for him at the end, which was death on a cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Calling out intimately in prayer to his father when he was entering the most difficult time in his life but which was the purpose for which he was born gives great insight into the depth of love not only between God and His one and only created Son but also into the depth of God's and Jesus' love for each one of us.
Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament refers to Abba Father in Romans 8:15 as our "adoption into the family of God." Furthermore, Robertson's refers to Abba Father in Galatians 4:6 as our being God's children chosen with purpose and love by God himself. Wow! Did you catch the significance of that usage of Abba Father in Galatians 4:6? God chose me. God chose you. He chose us with purpose, with certainty, with desire, with a plan, with resolve, with a design, with intent. Our relationship with Him is not a mistake. He chose us with love, with affection, with devotion, with respect, with tenderness, with appreciation, with fondness, with sentiment, with regard. Our Abba Father longs to have an intimate, loving relationship with each one of us.
God's love is amazing! Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed like Jesus or daunted like me. No matter what you are going through, God is right there waiting for you to cry out "Abba Father" and to pour your heart out to Him. When we place our burdens into His hands, our Abba Father can cover us in His loving, healing balm of peace and renewed hope.
Prayer: Abba Father, we thank you for loving us unconditionally and intimately. Thank you for choosing us to be Your beloved children. We are grateful for the example Your Son, Jesus, is for us and for the sacrifice he so graciously made on our behalves. We cry out to you as he did, Abba Father, in our times of overwhelm and trouble and ask that Your love and peace cover us like a healing balm. Fill us with the hope of knowing You are gracious and Your mercies are new every day. Help us to seek Your will always. In Jesus' name, Amen!
I am hosting the Words of Hope monthly blog link-up. Please stop by and visit the blogs of my dear friends who have linked-up their posts below and be inspired by their words of hope as well. Be blessed, dear ones so that you can be a blessing to others!
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