Thoughts for the Day

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Do you remember the days of trying to teach your baby or toddler to say 'Mum' or 'Dad', and which of the two words would they say first? But in my family it was the tradition to use Christian names for our parents, because my mother hated the name 'Mum'! The most famous brand of deodorant at the time was called "Mum"! (She once declared "I'm a Christian, so I would like my Christian name to be used!"). So it was 'Olive' and 'Bob' in my family. Now all was well until I had children myself. My husband's name was Adrian Denzil so he was always called AD (as in "Aydee") but he complained that his nickname had suddenly sounded more like 'Da-da' (because when you keep saying it over and over again it changes!). Actually, I thought it was just one one of those natural sounds that babies make!

Our reading from the letter to the Galatians uses the word 'Abba!' for God. It's both an Aramaic and a Greek word. Aramaic was the language spoken by Jesus, and "Abba" is the equivalent of a child's first words for his father, that is, 'Daddy'. In today's reading St Paul reminds us in his letter to the Galatians that we are children of God and we have the closest of all relationships to Him. We too can call God "Father"!

This New Year can we resolve to return each day to our Heavenly Father with the simple trust that a baby gives to a beloved parent? Can we offer Him our love and gratitude for all His gifts, and resolve to live a life more suited to being His child?

Father God,
Your Son taught us
that we are Your children
and can turn to You as our Father.
Never let us forget
this relationship -
when life is good
or when life is difficult -
and may we live a life
that is worthy of our adoption.
Amen.