Abba Father

I took a father/daughter day trip with my dad to Billings on Wednesday. One of the last ones I'll have before I fly out. He lives out of town so we aren't able to get much time together so I soaked up every moment. During this little adventure we were able to sit in the car, visiting about everything and nothing at the same time. The conversation flowed with much naturalness and ease. I treasured every word and the counsel he gave me about the different things we discussed. In this moment, I had a revelation of "The Father's love for us". Since I ever came into existance I've been a daddy's girl and could always count on my dad for an encouraging word, a stern reality check or a gentle touch of reassurance that everything is going to be okay. It made me realize as humans, especially children, how dependant we are on our fathers. Not only our fathers but our parents in general. That's how I want to be with the Heavenly Father. So dependent, and lost without him. Seeking him for counsel in every area of my life, fulfilling my every need and desire. Without Jesus, I am nothing. No other relationship besides the one with our Father is so fulfilling. To know God as our Father is to know life as he intended it to be. When we come into that love relationship with him we become his children. We have the privilage of prayer and the opportunity to come into his holy presence at any given time of any day. Haddon Robinson once said, "All that a good father wants to be to his children, God will be to Christians who approach him in prayer." We need to embrace this truth that we have unhindered access to God through Jesus Christ. The way my dad and I talked was so easy and that's what my prayer life should look like as well. It was just a fresh revelation of Jesus' love and how much our relationships with our earthly fathers can mold how we view our Lord and Creator. It also challenges me to go deeper, to learn more because the Father's goal is to make us all more like his Son, Jesus.

"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who cries out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are son, God has made you also an heir." --Galations 4:6-7

No matter how much we may love our own dad, we also know that every father has his flaws. The fathers we experience as children will affect how eagerly or how apprehensively we know and enjoy God the Father. If we had a father that was distant or abusive it is hard to remove those misconceptions and learn the truth that the only right kind of model parenting was done by God. Only Jesus has the perfect father. This too was an eye opening truth that I was able to mentally link in my head. Previously in the week I watched the Sex + Money Film which is a documentary about domestic minor sex trafficking and the modern day abolitionist movement trying to stop it. A lot of the victims of this crime were young girls that weren't running to that lifestyle but running away from home. A home life where sexual abuse was prevelant or there was no father figure present. It felt like natural behavior to them. It broke my heart and also made me so much more passionate about doing the focus Discipleship Training School that I'm doing. Compassion focuses on working with women and children recovering from these things. Trafficked, enslaved, and struggling with addictions or life problems. There is a huge problem out there that needs to be dealt with. I want to go. I want to do. I want change. I desire for these men and women to love Jesus and live a life that shows this. It's a national search for human worth.

In conclusion, I am just so thankful for the father that I do have, and most of all for my Heavenly Father. He is so many things to me I can't even wrap my head around it. Protector, Provider, Counselor, Strength, and most of all Lover of my Soul. I just desire to have a pure and holy heart, filled with the Holy Spirit, running hard after you, Jesus.


                                            Trailer for the movie Sex+Money Documentary