“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15 NKJV)
“And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father.” (Galatians 4:6 NLT)
“Truly I tell you,’ He said, ‘unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4 BSB)
Someone near and dear to me recently asked me, “Eric, why do you call God Daddy?” He then said something like, “It seems disrespectful to call the Almighty Ruler of the Universe “Daddy.”
Here’s my answer…
…In 2018, at the lowest point in my life, God reached down into my depressed state and revived me. I experienced a personal reawakening which radically changed me, and turned my life around. In the midst of flooding my spirit with His love, He gave me a couple of challenges. One of the challenges was to give up my pride.
I began my journey with God at the age of 8. In my early years I knew God as my Heavenly Father. As the years went by my “religion” turned Him into an Infinite Being that was high and lifted up, far out of my reach. I lost the sense of intimacy that I had with Him, and replaced it with the “fear of the Lord.” Just like the Pharisees in the Bible, I recognized that He was “THE Father,” but no longer knew Him like Jesus as “MY Father.” He was almost unapproachable in His holiness.
In order to give me back the intimate relationship that I had lost, the Holy Spirit highlighted Romans 8:15…
…”So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
He invited me to once again become childlike in my relationship with my Heavenly Father. However, it immediately became obvious that I was too “mature” in my “sonship” to become as a child. That is when I heard in my spirit the directive to start calling God “Daddy” (Abba).
To break my pride He challenged me to use that expression (Daddy) publically. To be perfectly honest, at first it was embarrassing, and I hated doing it. It was humbling, but it was effective in breaking the grip of pride that was standing in the way of a close, childlike relationship with my Father.
Today, I have the closest, most intimate relationship with the Almighty Infinite Creator God (my Heavenly Abba Father – Daddy) that I have ever had. Now, I take Hebrews 4:16 very personally…
… Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]”
I run daily into my Daddy’s throne room, jump in his lap, and receive His mercy and grace without limit or barrier. He loves on me and I love Him back.
The Almighty Creator God, the Majestic Ruler of Heaven and Earth, the One perfect in holiness, wants to be your Daddy. He loves you. He sent His Son Jesus (my big brother) to take you by the hand and lead you into His throne room.
Will you go?
There is a life changing invitation in…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 359: Why “Daddy?”