intimacy

Galatians 4

4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.

5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law,

     so that he could adopt us as his very own children.

6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,

    prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father."

7 Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child.

And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.



"Abba" is an intimate word use by children when addressing their fathers.

Kind of like "papa"...

There are many who say it means "daddy" - so we have a "daddy God"

Well, to each his own, I guess.

I feel like "daddy" is a little too glib, a little too flip - we ARE talking to the highest, holiest, most powerful, all knowing, eternal God of the universes.

"Papa" is intimate but also reserves a little respect?

I know, I know, "a rose by any other name..."


Of course this most important thing here isn't how we translate "Abba"

The important thing is that God considers us His beloved, delighted in children, who have such an intimate with Him that we can address Him in intimate terms.

This is an intimacy that no other God / religion contains.

We are offered that close a relationship with Him.


Why aren't we telling more people about this?

In a world starving to death for intimacy, what better thing can we offer the people around us than the uber-intimate relationship our God extends to His children?

Why aren't we telling everyone around us about this?