Thoughts on Galatians 4:6

Because we are sons we receive the Holy Spirit. Notice it’s not because we go to church every Sunday, or because we helped that old lady across the street, or because we put a five in the offering plate, or because we pastor a church of 10,000 members, or because we wear a ONE bracelet or bought a (RED) product. We are not sons because of what we do. We could never do enough. We are sons because God chose to adopt us and sent Jesus to the orphanage to seal the deal. We are not sons because our hearts cry out “Abba Father!” rather we cry our “Abba Father!” because we are sons, and the Holy Spirit inside of us prompts us to do so.

The term “Abba” is key here. In the first-century AD “Abba” was the intimate Aramaic term used within Jewish families for “Dad.” Our God is an intimate God. He is our “Dad.” Most man-made religions portray a distant, out of touch god with whom there is no relationship. God Himself tells us that He desires a close familial relationship with His people and that He is able to have one. Anytime we are talking with God (which should be continually) we would do well to remember that He is “Abba”, He is “Dad.” We don’t need to use fancy “religious” words when we're talking with Him, in fact we’re told not to (Matt. 6:7). We need to talk to Him like we should talk to “Dad”, with respect, admiration, and the expectation that He will take care of us.