There are times when formality with God seems totally out of order. He longs to take you and your burdens into His arms.

While preparing to teach our home Bible study on the names of God, for some reason I chose the name Abba to look at first. I wasn’t even aware of why that one out of all the electrifying names that give us a glimpse of who He really is …  why would that one pop into my mind first.

But I discovered why as I began my study!

God is referred to as “Abba Father” first by Jesus in Mark 14:36. The Apostle Paul used it twice, Romans 8:15 “…you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’” NLT , And again by Paul in Galatians 4:6, “And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” NLT

I have taken great relief in God allowing us to call Him “Abba”, at times feeling free enough to call Him Papa or Daddy. Yet I have been made to believe that I am somehow showing Him far less respect than He deserves.

Let me state my case in this matter. I take nothing away from His awesomeness, His mastery of the entire universe or His title as Judge. I acknowledge Him as the Lord Most High and the great King over all the earth. He deserves all the respect I can give Him.

However, there are times in my walk with Him when I need Him as more than the Master of the universe… I desperately need Him to master my own failing universe. When troubles mount up against me,  I am not seeking His majesty as much as I long for His mercy.

In times of heavy conflict my hope is for something a bit more intimate than a formal Father/son relationship. I long to be drawn onto His lap as my Dad or Papa. The resume He carries isn’t as important at the moment as needing  some heart to heart Daddy time. I must feel His arms around me!

I can and do relish His mind-blowing mastery over all creation, His title of the Lord Most High. I don’t diminish one of those startling meanings of His Name.

Yet when Jesus faced the greatest challenge every undertaken in the history of this planet and He agonized under extreme pressure and spiritual warfare, His heart’s cry took Him way beyond a formal relationship with the Father. His was the closest, most intimate connection between a Father and His Son.

Father, take me in Your arms! 

“What marvelous love the Father has extended to us!

Just look at it—we’re called children of God!

That’s who we really are.” I John 3:1 MSG