ABBA! – The Fatherhood of God (Pt. 3)

ABBA! – The Fatherhood of God (Pt. 1)

ABBA! – The Fatherhood of God (Pt. 2)

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THE FATHER THAT CARES

Every mother possesses an inherent instinct with which they can discern the needs of their children as regards their welfare. This special endowment is generally referred to as “maternal instincts.” It’s amazing how a nursing mother would decipher the cause of her baby’s cries with precision, as though she’s able to read the child’s mind. Well, she probably can.

The mother-child connection is so strong that the child’s concerns become hers, and as long as the child is restless, she cannot ignore its cries. In a bid to paint the extent of His loving-kindness, Abba references this beauty of true motherhood in Isaiah 49:15.

“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”

Isaiah 49:15 KJV

The first part of the verse is more of a rhetorical question. It is somewhat abnormal for a mother to forget her children and ignore their needs. The default approach of a woman to motherhood is one of deep compassion and love for the one borne out of her womb. She will do all within her powers to ensure her child is fine, even at her own expense.

“yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”

Isaiah 49:15b KJV

Given, we’re humans, and it is possible for a mother to be irresponsible. In the second part of that verse, Abba lets us know that even though there is that possibility with men, it is impossible for Him to forget us. What an assurance!

The next verse is even more beautiful… “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” (Isaiah 49:16 KJV). God has us in His palms at all times. Not for a second does He look away and leave us without cover. His loving eyes are ever upon us. He is so meticulous about us that even the very hairs of our head are numbered (Matthew 10:30) — it’s unimaginably true!

More Valuable Than Sparrows

In Matthew 10, Jesus drew up an interesting comparison in vs. 29-31.

“What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

Matthew 10:29‭-‬31 NLT‬

In this chapter, Jesus was sending His disciples out on mission work, and He was admonishing them on God’s ability to cater to their needs. He asked them not to take anything with them — not money, not even a change of clothes (vs.9-10). It was more of a practical class to expose them to Abba’s ability to look after His own.

To further assure them of God’s benevolence, He informs them (and us, by extension) that even the sparrows, as little and rather insignificant as they seem, get God’s attention. And if He looks out for them that much, how much more would He keep an eye on us. “For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye” (Zachariah 2:8b KJV). He pays attention to the very minute details of our lives, down to the number of hair strands on our head! He knows us more than we know ourselves and is even more concerned about our well-being than we are.

Jesus made reference to God’s care over creation in yet another instance. It was while he taught on the mount in Matthew 6. This time, he was addressing the issue of worry.

From time immemorial, people have always bothered themselves with issues like “where will the next meal come from?”, “how do we get shelter?”. However, Jesus teaches that a proper understanding of Abba’s ability to supply all of those would help eliminate the unnecessary anxiety. He says to take no thought about these things, for Abba is well informed that we need them, and He doesn’t have to pull a sweat to get them to us.

He goes on to explain that our Heavenly Father feeds the birds without them having to work for it, and King Solomon, in all his royal glory, could not match up with the lilies of the field clothed by God. Mind-blowing, isn’t it?… HOW MUCH MORE WOULD HE CARE FOR YOU AND I?

Rest in His Arms

As always, God’s offer —His care in this case— is always there for the taking. But just as we have seen throughout this series, we have a role to play in activating these offers.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]”

Matthew 11:28 AMPC

Are you tired and in need of rest?… Abba said to come to Him. He is eager to relieve and refresh your soul. He wants to take that heavy weight off your shoulders and massage you to sleep. Allow Him to pamper you. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve carried it; all you need to do is lay it at His feet, and rest is guaranteed. Doubt it? Taste and see.

Be Anxious For Nothing

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.”

Philippians 4:6 AMPC

As kids, whenever we were faced with challenges, our first instinct was to report the situation to our parents. There was a certain confidence that they were able to fix everything. Trouble only arises when Daddy and Mummy are unable to solve the problem. Well, Apostle Paul is teaching us to exercise that child-like instinct in our relationship with our Heavenly Father (remember we talked about learning from kids in the previous part of the series). Thankfully, with God, there is always a solution.

In every circumstance and in everything, good or bad, our first instinct should be to relate it to Abba. The Passion Translation (TPT) says to “…tell him every detail of your life”, and in doing so, “God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 4:7 TPT). Once we have our concerns poured out before Him, we can step aside and let Him show us how much He cares.

“Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”

1 Peter 5:7 AMPC