July 4: "Abba, Father!"

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.   (Galatians 4:6,7 — New King James Version)

The phrase “Abba, Father” stands out in this passage. It’s not a common term in the Bible, it only appears three times. Some have suggested that it should be understood as the “daddy” of a infant child, but it is more accurately the “dad” of an adult child and heir. Jesus used it in the garden when He cried out to His Father while He was in agony, and Paul uses it in Romans to explain how we as adopted sons and heirs call out to our Father. And here in Galatians, Paul explains that it is the expression not of a slave, but of a son and heir, and that it is the Holy Spirit that gives us the understanding to cry out to God in this personal, privileged way.

There is a huge difference between a slave and a son. A slave has no rights, but a son or daughter has rights and is an heir of all that the father possesses. Just as a father wants his children to succeed and accomplish  great things — God wants the same for you! Refuse to think of yourself as insignificant and worthless. The Lord Jesus has adopted you into His own family with all the benefits, privileges, and riches that that entails. So take your stand, call out “Abba, Father!”, and take a hold of your inheritance as a child of God.

The 4th of July is “Independence Day” in the U.S. At one time the original 13 colonies were controlled by England, but then a war for independence broke out and the United States fought and became its own nation — independent from England. This is an important part of U.S. history and is celebrated today. But the passage above talks about a much more important freedom — and independence from slavery to the devil and sin. In the Lord Jesus we are sons and daughters of God with all the rights and privileges of a child — we are even called God’s heirs! This is something we should celebrate and live out every day for the rest of our lives.