Tag: Intimacy

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Abba Father

Daily Reading

Romans 8-10

Daily Thought

I love when one of my children calls me “Daddy.” My boys started calling me “Dave.” They thought it was cute. All my kids call me “Dave” when I do something ridiculous, “Way to go, Dave.” I guess I deserve that. But “Daddy,” when I hear that word, I turn and smile and the one who said it has my undivided attention. 

“You have received the Spirit of adoption as children, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15). “Abba” is like calling God “Daddy.” My grandkids call me “Bapa.” Same thing. It is a special relationship, intimate, close.

The night before Jesus would go to the cross, he is in a garden in Jerusalem called Gethsemane, praying to his heavenly Father. We get to listen. “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36). You can hear the intimacy. This isn’t “our Father who art in heaven,” this is “Daddy” and a deep sigh, and Jesus is ready to do whatever his Father says.

We can pray to God like that, too. We share the same intimacy as Jesus–“we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16-17)–like children with their daddy, that special, personal, unique relationship. That kind of relationship where you can run up to God and lift your arms up and get wrapped up in his. You are never interrupting, because nothing else is as important to your daddy. 

I never start prayer with, “Hey God, you got a minute.” Children don’t ask that. My children never considered my time because they know I always have time for them. 

That’s God. We talk to our Father with confidence because we know when we pray, he swipes all the paperwork to the side, turns his chair toward us, lifts us up on his lap, and he listens. And I am ready to do whatever he says.

Daily Prayer

Abba Father, You left Your throne and looked for me and found me and saved me and brought me into your family. I am Your child. I wasn’t even looking for You. You came to seek and to save the lost and that was me. Your love is amazing. 

I love this intimacy, that I can climb on Your lap and You are mine and I am Yours. You love me and I love You back and trust You and I am ready to do whatever You say.

Amen

Daily Question

What do you call your father and what does that indicate about your relationship with him?

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God Knows

Daily Reading

Isaiah 42-44

Daily Thought

“To infinity and beyond,” proclaims Buzz Lightyear. The distance from the earth to the sun is 93 million miles, to reach the nearest star, 4.3 light years, and a light year is 5.88 million million miles. Our galaxy, the Milky Way is 100,000 light years across and has 200 billion stars. The Milky Way is 1 of 500 billion galaxies (our best guess). How big is the universe? Who knows?

“I am the Lord, who made all things,
who alone stretched out the heavens,
who spread out the earth by myself” (Isaiah 44:24). 

To infinity and beyond? God will still be there. He knows how big is the universe, but that does not amaze me nearly as much as, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). He knows me.

“Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
who are deaf, yet have ears!” (Isaiah 43:8). 

Worship opens my eyes and ears, provides perspective, heightens appreciation. Life still happens, God does not keep me from trouble, but 

“when you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:2-3).

Who better by my side?

Daily Prayer

My God, my Savior, You are always present, an ever-present help in time of trouble. In good and bad, may I remember You. That secret of contentment, whether I’m high or low, in plenty or in need, safety or trouble, in any and every circumstance, I can do all things through You who gives me the strength.

I know when it feels like You are not there, it’s me that left. I need to stop doing that, to stay on Your path and walk beside You. Thank You, though, for coming after me when I stray and being there when I get back. You are my God, my Savior. There is none like You.

Amen

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God Knows

Daily Reading

Psalm 133-139

Daily Thought

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts! ~Psalm 139:23

Psalm 139 is a dangerous poem because intimacy is dangerous. David invites into his heart the one who has searched him and known his innermost and deepest thoughts. God knows David better than David knows David, and God will find more in David’s heart than even David knows is there. “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). Think about that; God knows you better than you know you. That is either wonderful or awful or both.

The difference comes not of what we believe God will find in us, but what we believe of God. If God is only judge, then there is only terror. We fear him and should. But he is Savior first, and so there is fear and wonder. “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,” explained God’s Son, “but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17). We are condemned already, he says, because we know enough of our hearts to know the darkness, but “God so loved the world” (John 3:16). We cannot hide our darkness, and we do not need one who closes his eyes to it. We need a Savior who sees the darkness and through it, and leads us in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:24). Invite him in.

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, what a fantastic life! You have created the most wonderful world. You made me in Your image, gave me my intellect and emotions and will. You made me one who laughs and sings and works and runs and plays. You gave me the ability to be delighted, and then put a delightful world around me.

And I sin, and the world is clouded. Come inside and deal with that, God. Put me to the test and show me how badly I am missing the wonders about me. It is a wonderful life, You are a God of wonders, and I am wonderfully made. Restore me, God, to a life overflowing and everlasting and good.

Amen