Because You are Sons

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
Galatians 4:5-7

Are you a son or daughter of God? One of the great evidences of being a child of God and not a slave to sin is that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and as a result our hearts cry in the Spirit, Abba Father (Romans 8:15-16).

"The word "Abba" is an Aramaic word that means “Father.” It was a common term that expressed affection, confidence, and trust. Abba signifies the close, intimate relationship of a father and his child, as well as the childlike trust that a young child puts in his “daddy." Together, the terms Abba and Father doubly emphasize the fatherhood of God. In two different languages, we are assured of God’s care for His children." - gotquestions.org

As you journey through this life with all its ups and downs, does your heart continually cry Abba Father? Or do you live your life as if you are in charge of it?

Before Timothy McVey, the Oklahoma City bomber, was executed, his last words were from William Henley's poem Invictus, which is Latin for invincible. The last sentence in the poem ends with the words, "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." Although not everyone’s life will end like Timothy McVey's did, many today live their lives with the same mindset; "I am the captain of my soul." They might not speak those words out loud, but their actions are declaring them day by day. Some would argue that the line in the poem is about taking personal responsibility for your life. We are responsible before God for the decisions and choices we make and that will determine the outcome of our lives. However, a child of God, who knows God as Father, does not make choices independent of God. When they come to a crossroads in life they don't lean on their own understanding to decide the best course of action. Instead, in all their ways they cry out Abba, and their good, good Father directs their paths (Proverbs 3:5). And because they were adopted by God through faith in Christ and know Him as Father, they confidently declare, even in a dark valley, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord, my Father, forever (Psalm 23).

Abba Father is the cry of the heart of one who knows Jesus, and not self, as the captain of their soul.

Blessings,
Pastor Marco