Abba, Father

The meadowlarks have finally made their appearance which, for me, heralds the arrival of Spring in the Black Hills of South Dakota where I live. & today I saw my first Dandelion! 

Here is faith's testimony which is now sight!

The celebration of "Resurrection Day", (sometimes known as Easter) !

Resurrection Day 'Bouffage'! Another new word to introduce. It simply means buffet, but I thought it sounded more elegant. 😏

Positively succulent! Doesn't this just get your bouffage taste buds to awaken with a proclamation of "Time to eat!" 

Prelude to a feast!

& this is what it's all about...

"He Is Risen, just as He said"!!!

When Jesus proclaimed from the cross, 

"It is finished!", (John 19:30)

I believe that it indicates that Jesus' redemptive work was accomplished. Yet, in John 17:4 Jesus says "I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do." 

& what was that work? 

"... I have declared to them Your name..." v. 26

& for the first time in the history of the world the name that Jesus declared was,

Abba, Father.

Remember when Jesus told Philip, "If you've seen Me, you've seen the Father."

Abba, Father. His Name is Who He is. & when we accept Jesus as "The Way the Truth  & the Life" that He is ,(John 14:6), we also get, 'Abba, Father' because the rest of that verse says, "No one comes to the Father except through me."

Hence, the redemptive work, the "It is finished", the crucifixion, that period of time that Jesus paid our way & paved our way to the Father, that we too could use the word in the most intimate use of it,

"Our Father, who art in heaven..."

But not just in the intimate.

"Therefore brothers, we have an obligation; but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature (which is disobedience) you will die. but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body (which is obedience) you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit are sons (this word 'sons' here is genderless) of God...but you received the spirit of sonship. & by him we cry, 'Abba Father.'" 

(Romans 8 12 & 13)

Every year I always ask the Lord to give me a new revelation about Resurrection Day celebration. So, I looked up some scriptures for further enlightenment which then led me to look up the word, 'Abba'. & you know what I found out? That it doesn't mean 'Daddy' at all. When we call on the Father with the word Abba with it, we are actually bringing into the communication, responsibility on our part, because 'Abba' means 'Obedience'. We are using the term of endearment with the acknowledgement of His authority over us & our willingness to submit to Him. Kind of like, "Speak Father, your wish is my command."  

Jesus said, "I only do what I see my Father doing." He was expressing His Father intimacy with His Abba obedience. & we as His children are called to the same. When you are born again, you don't get just the Father part. You signed up for the whole thing! All of Him. He paid a pretty high price for us. His Son. But, as we live out this precious salvation which we don't fully understand or appreciate, maybe never will this side of heaven, (& probably never will completely the other side either) we can "grow in the grace & in the knowledge of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ." every day. & you know
 how we know the Father better also every day? By obedience. & as the old song from the 50's in it's redemptive form goes, "To know, know, know Him, is to love, love, love Him.".....& I do. My Abba Father.

Raintree Perk of the Day:

Let us also be about our Father's business. Wow. Together, hand in hand. My Father & me! Pretty awesome...