READ: And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:15-16
REFLECT: I discovered that abba is one of the few Aramaic words known to have been actually spoken by Jesus Christ. That Jesus addressed God directly at all must have been shocking to His Jewish contemporaries, who held the name of the Lord so sacred and awesome as to be unspeakable.
To use the word abba in speaking to God, as Jesus did, was unthinkable. Abba is the familiar term used by Jewish sons and daughters in addressing their father, corresponding more to “daddy” than to the more formal “father.”
In addressing God as Abba, therefore, Jesus not only claimed His Sonship with God, but also did so in the most intimate way! As children in Christ, it is our wonderful privilege–and obligation–to follow His example.
PRAY: Abba! Abba! What an awesome thing it is that the sound of that delights You!
DO: Find a Bible dictionary or concordance and look up abba. Meditate on what a privilege it is to call God Abba.
