Recognizing Your Father – January 4, 2023

Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
Galatians 4:6

Recognizing Your Father

My son and his wife had a baby last year. I think she already recognizes my son as her father. She reacts differently to him than she does to me, her grandfather. That’s probably because she sees him far more often than she sees me. She has learned to rely on him as a source of comfort. She has learned to recognize his love. She has learned to say his name.

Just as my granddaughter recognizes her earthly father, you can recognize the love of your heavenly Father. He sent his only Son into the world, Jesus Christ, to be your Savior. Jesus laid down his life for you. As a result, you are declared a child of God.

So how do you recognize God the Father, your true spiritual Father, in your life? God sends not only his Son but also his Spirit to prompt you to do that.

The Spirit comes to you through baptism. That’s why his name is one of the words spoken when people are baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Baptism puts the Spirit into your heart and causes you to believe in the only true God.

The Spirit comes to you when you read or hear the words of the Bible. Those words are Spirit and truth. Those words go right to your heart, confirming and strengthening your faith.

The Spirit leads you to confess the name of God. You can do that in a very formal way, and you can do that in a more informal, tender way. Our Bible verse for today uses a tender, childlike word for father—the word “Abba.” That’s what the Spirit prompts you to call God the Father, Abba. He takes care of you. He is a source of comfort. You have learned to say his name.

Prayer:
Abba, Father, I love you. Be with me wherever I go. Amen.