Abba
In Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, he wrote that he "conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wished to live without committing any fault at any time..." He kept a notebook with his thirteen preferred virtues, and a grid to mark when he fell short. The commitment to chastity didn't keep him from having an illegitimate son or affairs in Paris. But most critics challenged his effort for another reason: he wanted to be virtuous because it benefited him. I understand where Ben was coming from. I often think that being good is the best way to get God to like me.
Romans 8:12-17
¹²So then, brothers and sisters, we are not in debt to the flesh, as if we had to live by it. ¹³For if you live by the flesh, you are on your way to death; but if by the Spirit you put to death what the body does, you will live. ¹⁴For everyone the Spirit of God leads is a son of God. ¹⁵The spirit you received is not one that enslaves you, pulling you back into fear all over again. No, you received the Spirit of adoption, and by him we call out, "Abba, Father." ¹⁶The Spirit himself testifies alongside our spirit that we are God's children. ¹⁷And if we are children, then we are heirs too—heirs of God himself, and co-heirs with Christ—as long as we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified with him.
At work, being responsible looks like doing a good job, avoiding mistakes, and keeping the boss happy. So we transfer this mentality to our relationship with God. He's an even bigger boss. So we try to do what he wants, stay away from sin, and tell him what he wants to hear. Paul says that relating to God like this is spiritual slavery. Paul isn't afraid to bluntly address how religion can dehumanize us. He diagnoses the problem because he wants us to live in spiritual freedom. The Spirit of God doesn't enslave us, but adopts us. So when we address God, we say "Abba." It's the word a beloved child uses to talk to his father. It isn't a baby babbling "dada" or a distant "Yes, Father." It's how Jesus prayed in the garden, the night before he died (Mark 14:36). It's reverent intimacy. Knowing God as "Abba" is a gift of grace. No one knew you could pray like that until Jesus did. And no one could pray it until the Spirit gave us the status of sons. It's a word that seems to exclude women, but who gets the status of sons? Anyone who is filled with the Spirit. So both women and men get the full inheritance that God gives to his children. Because we are God's sons and because God is a loving Father, it only makes sense to call him Abba. If I took another theology exam, I know I could answer this question correctly. But getting an 'A' on those tests hasn't helped me live with confidence as God's beloved. One night at a conference, I told some mentors how hard it was to trust that God loved me. We went through all the hurt together. Then they prayed with a spiritual power I had never experienced. They knew God, and they loved me. By the end of the night, I felt secure in God's love. Instead of getting puffed up by all the doctrine I know, I need the humility to let the Spirit testify with my spirit. Instead of basing my relationship with God on my performance, I need to accept that my relationship is safe because he's said so. "Abba" sums up the whole Christian life. It tells us God put us in a family we didn't belong in. We're no longer indebted to sin. It's the epitome of the saying, "Like father, like son." When we call God "Abba," we start to live like his children. Instead of trying to perfect ourselves so we can earn some of his time, God says, "You're family. Call me Abba."
What does it tell you about God that he wants to be called Abba?
Who have you seen pray to God in a way that helps you trust him?
If you could be unfiltered, what do you not like about God?
Before moving to the next thing, pray to your heavenly Father: "Abba, I want your Spirit to assure of your love."