Galatians 4, "Abba Father"

 

Galatians 4, "Abba Father"

 

“Abba Father” describes believers’ intimate relationship with God. As children love their fathers and yet respect and obey them, so believers love God and have respect for and awe of Him. At times, people’s unhappy relationships with their earthly fathers inhibit their ability to understand the loving fatherhood of God. This puts a great responsibility on fathers to seek the guidance of the perfect Father as they raise their children. Christian fathers should raise their children with love and discipline.

Paul spoke to the Galatians with love and tried hard to set the example of Christ’s love. He also received their love in the words he spoke, “you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.” The Galatians did not reject him for his infirmities. Instead, he spoke of their unconditional love for him as Christ has unconditional love for us. Many times, we see children growing up under harsh rule from their earthly dad. Or maybe they have a dad that doesn’t care for them at all. It is sometimes hard for these children to accept a heavenly Father when the only example was an imperfect earthly father. It is in our actions and our example that we show these children and others what a heavenly Father is like. God loves us so much, that the only condition that He sets for us is to be obedient to Him and to have a relationship with His Son. He is not a harsh task master, but a loving, merciful Father. He shows us the good and the bad. He tells us in the Old Testament what blessings and curses are. When we choose to follow Him, we receive blessings. The choice is always ours to make as He won’t force us to Love Him. He wants us to come willingly to Him and lean on Him through all circumstances. We have the freedom to Love Him and accept Him as He accepts us.

 

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Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.