Roses are red, Bengals are blue, Rams were amazing, nothing Cincy could do!
The obligatory nature of a holiday right after the Super Bowl may be catching you off guard. Today is the celebration of a 3rd Century priest who believed in love. It’s been said that this priest named Valentine would cut hearts out of parchment and give them to the persecuted followers of Jesus. In the early days of the church, this leader ignored the Roman Emperor Claudius’ decree that soldiers should not marry to escape conscript from the army. Because Valentine helped would-be combatants wed, he was martyred on February 14th, 269 AD.
The Apostle Paul’s revolutionary love thought came 200 years earlier, starting with the 14th verse of Romans 8.
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 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.’”
In my life, I’ve found a pattern to sin’s slavery. When I’m afraid or uncertain of my father’s approval, my flesh wants to win over my spirit. There isn’t a conscious in the moment thought. Instead, it’s a reflection that comes across later when I think – “why did I just do that?” Perhaps, you can relate; when sin seems to entangle, some unholy fear or a word in our heart says, “you’re not good enough.”
Last Friday, in Dallas, we graduated another TMP Cohort of guys who identified with this statement, “I still like it when my dad tells me ‘good job’” (and double that when he calls me by my nickname). As I mentioned that desire for my dad’s thumbs-up, the room was filled with heads nodding in agreement. We are craving it; the approval of a father.
A key to success in Kingdom Leadership is rewiring our hearts from our biological father’s approval to the One that is called Abba, Father. Paul uses this familial term “Abba” to indicate how our affection would be so close that we’d seek him as “Dad” or “Pappa.”
You may not feel comfortable right away, but I challenge you to change your formal wording when talking to Our Heavenly Father and just say “Dad.” We aren’t going to lose the respect he deserves. You’ll flex into the formal title of the Godhead when you need to. Start calling him by the term you’ve always used for your earthly dad. There’s a need for trust and belief that He is so perfect that Dad’s got this. Even more so, Dad looks at me with great affection, is cheering for me, and wants to back me.
I’m not only adopted into the family photo, but I am also His heir to be lavished with an inheritance.
“And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” – Romans 8: 17.
Can you believe that the God who breathed everything into existence is interested in us who are covered by Christ’s blood? So let’s get closer to Pappa than ever before. If you intend to be a part of God’s glory, you’ll need that because it will mean sharing in the difficulties.
Today, find a paper heart in a love letter for you from Pappa. It reads, “Will you be mine?” Keep it in your pocket. Your Kingdom Calling is going to need it.
