He's My Daddy

Scripture: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3-4

Observation: Every time I have ever seen a discussion of the "names of God," it almost always focuses on the old testament names. They include ancient Hebrew names, and their Aramaic and Greek translations ... Yahweh, Jehovah, Adonai, Elohim, El Shaddai, etc., and including descriptive suffixes to identify God's character. However, Peter clearly articulates the new testament name for God that we who live in this day and age are now very familiar with, and which we may take for granted.

Father.

The coming of Messiah was the culmination of God's redemptive plan for mankind. God himself identified Jesus as his son, and by his words and resurrection Jesus called his disciples into a adopted relationship with his father, to be part of the inheritance of salvation. In other words, this name is in fact the final revelation of the character of God. This goes beyond the fact that he "is" or is everything, or that he is all powerful, or a provider, a creator, a giver of life, a protector, a defender, or one who delivers justice. God is Father.

Application: There are very few thing in life that have an immediate impact on me physically, but there are two. One is when my wife gently touches my neck, as it always relaxes me every time. The second is when my daughter calls me "daddy". Usually I'm just 'dad' these days, but when she calls me daddy my heart leaps involuntarily ... it reminds me of the love I have for both of my children.

I think that's what God always wanted from mankind. He wanted sons and daughters. He loves us so much that he gave us free will in expressing that love, and mankind instead turned away from him. Jesus restores the possibility of that relationship. This is deeper than faith, belief, obedience, worship, and alike. This is about a special relationship - that kind that makes us feel protected, provided for, and everything implied by all God's other names, and that also makes God's heart flutter when we return that love to him.

I think he wants us to make his heart flutter.

Prayer: Abba, daddy, I love you. As I have been praying, I know you are my provider, and you have never, ever, ever, ever, EVER failed to guide and protect and love me. As a little child, I only want to hold your hand and be lead through this time in my life. I don't even need to know where we're going! I just want to wrap my hand around your finger, look up at you with trusting eyes and a smiling face, and walk beside you wherever you are taking me. Thank you for adopting me. Amen.