Father: A declaration over abandonment & loneliness
This past Saturday, my dad and I ventured out very early, heading to the horse stables. We hooked up the truck and trailer, loaded both horses to meet up with other equestrians forty-five minutes west. Our united goal was to meet at the north trailhead where we would saddle our horses and hit the trails. Spring weather in Texas is meant for trail riding! it’s beautiful and pleasant unlike the summer highs of 100 degrees or more and we are pretty much out of the unpredictable cold, rainy weather.
My dad was beyond excited for us to spend this day together. To be honest I was just as ecstatic. It is always special to share my passion for horses with others; however, partaking in it with my Dad is on another level. Maybe it is because he always fueled my horse passion by pointing out every horse in a pasture any time we were in a car together. Maybe it was because I was a daddy’s girl and doing any activity with my dad was special. Either way, I love having an adventurous Dad who loves spending time with his daughter – ME!
I realize while typing this story, not every girl has experienced the type of relationship and love with her father as I have. The word “Daddy, Dad or Father” could all bring back memories of hurt, loneliness, and disappointment. When I hear “Daddy”, I recall feelings of love, security, safety, and protection. When you hear it, you may remember overwhelming feelings of fear, abandonment, and loneliness. If you haven’t had an earthly father emulating the characteristics of our heavenly Father, I have good news for you. It says in Ephesians you have been adopted into a family. Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) reads, “God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.” It was always part of the plan for you and myself to be adopted. We never once went a single day without being loved, wanted, and part of a family.
God has adopted us as His own. We are HIS daughters and He is our Father. The judge signed the paperwork and the adoption is official. It can’t be undone or overturned. All we have to do is receive His love and believe in His name. John 1:12 tells us, “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God”. It truly is that simple – just receive and believe in Him. These two steps are all it takes for us to become His daughters! We make it so much harder than He intended it to be. There is nothing we can do to earn His love – it is freely given to us. There is also nothing we don’t do that could change is affections towards us.
Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba Father.” If we realize and grasp, we are loved by a heavenly Father and He gave His only son to die on a cross for us, we can start calling Him – Abba Father. The name “Abba” comes from a place of tenderness rooted from a dependent relationship with our father – our daddy and papa. There is a tenderness in those names – Abba, Father, and Daddy. Those words are a declaration over abandonment, loneliness, unloved and feelings of insecurities.
Just like my Dad loves spending time with me, our heavenly Father feels the same about me and you. He longs to spend time with us. He desires for us to know Him and sit in His presence. His presence isn’t just felt at church but it can be carried with us anywhere we go – on a busy workday, brunch on a sunny patio, in your messy house or apartment or even out trail riding with friends. He is ALWAYS THERE! Where are you going to carry His love with you today? As you go forth into your day, do not take lightly that you are loved by a heavenly Father who is proud to call you His daughter!
