God's Holy Fire: 'Abba, Father'

Friday, April 14, 2023

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father."
— Romans 8:15 NLT

Key Thought

Abba! The first syllables some babies utter. The name for father in the language Jesus grew up speaking. Abba is a term of endearment, dependency, intimacy, tenderness, and respect. Because of the Holy Spirit's presence within us, we call out to God and address him in this precious, intimate, and dependent way: Abba, Father. The Creator of the universe, the God who dwells in eternity, the God who became flesh in Jesus, and the God who has the power to conquer death, sin, and the evil one invites us to call him our Abba, Father! Such overwhelming grace, such indescribable mercy, and such intimate relationship with God are ours because of the Holy Spirit's presence within us.

Today's Prayer

O Abba, Father, thank you for being my loving heavenly Father and welcoming me to you as your precious child! In Jesus' name. Amen.

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Friday, April 14, 2023

Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
James 4:14-15
"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to...."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Choosing the Presence of God' (Acts 7:44-50)
"[Stephen continued his defense with a shocking turn, quoting Isaiah and criticizing worshiping only in the Temple:] "Our ancestors carried the..."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'You Heard My Call for Help!' (Ps. 31:21-22)
"Praise the LORD, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love. He kept me safe when my city was under attack. In panic I cried out, "I am cut..."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Exercising Self-control' (1 Co. 9:24)
"Dear Father, Help me to compete like a runner aspiring for an Olympic gold medal. Help me to exercise discipline and self-control in all things that...."

Illustration

Illustration of Romans 8:15 NLT — So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father."

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More God's Holy Fire

Translations