Abba Father

Once after hearing Jesus pray, the disciples asked him to teach them to pray like that. He did, and we call it the Lord’s Prayer, and it is the greatest prayer ever prayed. We call it the Lord’s Prayer, but in reality it would be more accurate to understand it as our prayer. It’s been called Lord’s Prayer since he prayed it, but it was a prayer given to us by the Lord as a model of prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

The prayer begins with Jesus telling us to address God as Father. Maybe that doesn’t shock you, but to those hearing Jesus for the first time, it was a jolt. They would have been completely astonished because the word Father was such an awkward way of addressing God. In the Old Testament God is referred to about 14 times as Father but only in an impersonal way such as Father of the nation.  However, when Jesus came on the scene that is the only way he addressed God. He said Abba, which means daddy but with more reverence, over 60 times. It was as if Jesus was saying “I want you to learn to address my father the same way I do—as Abba.

If you know your father as Abba, you have no fear of him. You don’t have to fear that he might react to you. Once you come to really know God as father, it is one of the strongest indications that you have come to know God. He becomes personal and real and when your prayers are addressed to the Father; you are expressing your love and admiration for your father.

My sons and daughter don’t address me as Boyd, but as Daddy. I am their father, and the word denotes respect and affection. It is what I called my father, and it is what I call my heavenly father. Referring to God as father also means you know he will take care of you. You know you are safe in his presence. I remember on one occasion when I was very young that my father taught my brother and me how to be better swimmers. He would take us out in deep water in a reservoir so the water was calm, but I still felt fear because I knew the water was so deep. As we swam along he could instruct me to slow down and conserve my strength and not fight the water. We swam far out into the reservoir, and I was getting tired. My father said, “Are you tired?” When I said, “Yes,” he responded, “Hang on to my shoulder and let me pull you back and just relax and rest now.” I did, and as he pulled back to shore I felt all the fear leave. The next time I swam out in that deep part, the fear was gone.

One year ago today my father died and went to be with Jesus. During the months of March and May I made two trips to California to be with him. In March he went with me everywhere. If I went to Walmart, he would go. He would ride the electric carts, and I would walk. It was a special week, one I will never forget. On one occasion I went to the mall to pick up some things, and we sat down at the food court and had a cup of coffee. There was a certain sadness about that moment I have never forgotten. We both knew the next day I was leaving and this was probably the last time we would have a cup coffee out like this. Believe me, when I sit down to have a cup of coffee with my boys or with my wife, I treasure it. The next time I came in May it was to be with him in the hospital. I stayed by his side night and day.

Later, my dad was in hospice care at home, and he deteriorated fast. A couple of days before he passed, my sister asked me to talk to him on the phone because he kept asking for me. I talked to him and told him to go on home and be with Jesus. He understood that I was releasing him to go home to heaven, and very shortly he did.

My father’s influence is all around my life. His example and his love and his faith in God have helped formed my life into what it is. I have a great advantage in knowing my heavenly father because of that. But, knowing my heavenly father is the greatest of all experiences that life has afforded me. I only came to know my father through Jesus his son, and that is the way you will come to know him.