Dear Daddy

Romans 8:14-17

Goal: That hearers celebrate Christian fathers as “windows” through which they see more clearly our heavenly Father’s love.

Happy Father’s Day! I can’t begin to tell you how good it makes me feel when one of my children says to me, “You are the best father anyone could ever have.” Whenever they say that, I am compelled to wonder if there might be some severe gaps in their memory. Even so, I have wanted to be a good father, partly because my natural father was not, and partly because my adopted father was. But the most important reason I have wanted to be a good father is this, because my heavenly Father is the best Father anyone could ever have. Sadly, it took me many years to come to the point of knowing what that actually meant.

This text in Romans gives us a keen look into the Father’s heart when it says, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” That term is like saying “Dear Daddy.” It is a term that comes out of a heart of endearing love and thanksgiving. the Spirit of God who makes this Father known to us.

The Father is Personal. I can’t remember my natural father ever getting “up close and personal” with me. What I do remember is never knowing who my real father was until I was an adult.

My adopted father wasn’t like that. He cared. And he showed he cared about me when we would play catch, teach me how to train our dog to do some tricks, and even when we were together picking stones out of field.

But not even he could do what the heavenly father did. The heavenly Father gave me a Spirit of sonship, His Spirit, so that I would know him in a very real and personal way. I remember my adopted mom saying several times, “You are such a special boy. You were adopted twice, Once by me and dad, and once by God.

The Father is Provider. The year dad built the new barn we stood at the north end of it gazing up in proud amazement of its gleaming newness. Then I asked Dad why he built that barn. “It’s not for me,” he said. “It’s for you.” I didn’t know what he meant right then, I was too young to understand. Later on, it became apparent that he was saying the farm would one day be mine. The new barn was just one way of providing for my future. When I realized what he intended it made me proud to be his son. Even so, rebellion would strew my path.

You all know the story of how God created everything good, providing all that was needed to sustain all things on the earth. He even breathed his own breath of life into the man.

You also know the story of Adam and Eve, our first parents, how they corrupted everything by their rebellious disobedience. You know God calls this corruption and rebellion sin, and what sin does to us, making us blind, dead, enemies of God. But you only know that because …

The Father is Proclaimer. One of the neatest ways my adopted dad provided for me was by seeing to it that I received instruction in the church, that I went to VBS and Sunday School and Confirmation and worship. In that way he was what we might call a proclaimer.

But even that cannot compare to what God himself provides for us. By His own Spirit God restores, and leads us to Christ and his perfect obedience. Even before the creation of the world, the Lord God, seeing what his human creatures would do, made provision to redeem them from their lost condition and condemnation. His good plan and purpose is fulfilled in the life and work of Jesus Christ. That life and that work becomes our own in the same way that the farm would become mine—by way of a promise.

Listen to the Spirit proclaim what is also yours: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father" (Dear Daddy), So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4:4-7 NIV)

What a neat revelation it was to learn that dad really had me in mind when he built that barn. There was only one problem. I didn’t believe he really meant it, but he did. How foolish of me. In hind-sight, at which we are all very good, I can see the love dad had for me. How is it we can miss the big picture so easily? Sadly, we do the same thing with God’s proclamations. Still, He does not give up on us. He still comes to us. He still loves us. He still talks with us. He still walks with us. Why? It is simply because …

The Father is Protector. “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” (Hebrews 2:10-11 NIV) This means he is going to treat us like family. Doesn’t that make you proud of your heavenly Father? I pray it does.

Earthly fathers always fail in their fatherhood. We can discourage our children with too much criticism. We can belittle our children with too much protective coverage. We can ignore our children with too much personal work. We can even batter and abuse our children in their own development as fathers and mothers. Even so, good earthly fathers also want, what seems to them to be, the best for their children. Consider how God does that.

He doesn’t always keep us away from those things that might harm us, but he is always there. I think of a favorite passage of mine that gets shared with shut-ins a lot. It’s from the prophet Isaiah and says: “But now, this is what the LORD says--he who created you, … , he who formed you, … : "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:1-3 NIV)

God’s presence is protection against the evil one. Do you remember Jesus’ prayer to His Father that says? “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name.” He is praying for His disciples, for all who believe in His name. He is an ever present help. No wonder the Psalmist can say: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” (Psalms 46:1-3 NIV)

The two earthly fathers in my life had a lot to do with who I am today. But it is my heavenly father who never fails at what He does. Neither does he go back on a promise. That’s something we can know for sure for ourselves because of the Spirit He has given us. “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children … heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ.” So Dear Daddy, have a happy Father’s Day. Amen.