Abba, our Father

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 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 8:14-15)

I don't know about the rest of you, but I stand guilty in calling God Father, often times without realizing the sincere relationship that is inherent in it. Just like in human reproduction, the progeny of a father carry his traits. And no father, who realizes that his son is an extension of himself, would ever want anything but the best for his child. Abba more specifically means 'daddy' in Hebrew, making it an even more endearing term. 'Daddy' is something most of us throw to the wayside as we get older, and would feel uncomfortable calling our earthly dad by that title. But God has taken the child that the world has called worthless and thrown in a dumpster, He sees beyond the pretty little bow tie that this world puts around our sin, and holds us near His heavenly host. This is the love that should drive us ever onward; there is so many prodigal sons and daughters out there who are tired of eating the scraps this world has thrown at them; pray that God gives our eyes the ability to see them!