Image: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Last Sunday, as part of a message that I shared in our church which dealt with honoring one’s father and mother, I mentioned the fifth commandment which contained this instruction. I admit that not every child has a good experience with a parent. This experience is very critical for one to be able to honor one’s parent in that person’s lifetime. I say this because I was teaching that the fifth commandment did not stipulate a limitation on when or how long to honor the parent. It is thus encouraged that we are to honor our parents as long as we are alive.
I also qualified that even if we had a bad parent we are still commanded to honor our parents–even if they were neglectful, absentee or abusive. I can imagine that this is very hard for those who have experienced such acts. I cannot blame them.
Personally, I had a good relationship with my father. He provided well and raised me to be the person that I am today. A lot of the principles I adhere to today I learned from my father. Our experience with our parents, especially with our father is critical at how we view our Father in heaven.
“Abba Father” simply means that when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are essentially adopted into the family of God. You become God’s child and God becomes your heavenly Father. The relationship is of such intimacy that you can call God, “Daddy” or “Papa“, not some far-off deity that cannot be reached or someone who just sits on His throne. No. Abba Father loves His children so much that He made them co-heirs of His Son Jesus, everyone who profess that Jesus is Lord and Savior of their lives.
Jesus paid a heavy price for us to be redeemed from our sins. His Father paid a heavier price. His Son suffered. This is the love of the Father. Abba Father. Whatever circumstance that we have with our earthly father, be certain that our Father in heaven remains steadfast inHis love for us.
