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.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
Ever notice how kids seem to fall asleep faster when mom or dad is in the room? The monster under the bed has nothing on mom or dad. And if the nightmare comes, it’ll be OK because mom or dad will be there to make it stop.
Kids don’t have to be brave when their parents are around because mom and dad will fight for them. The ability to let go of worries and rest securely — that is real freedom. And that is the freedom God offers us as His kids.
Psalm 4:8 says, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Freedom is not the absence of something, but the presence of someone. The darkness doesn’t go away when mom or dad enters the room, but kids are freed from fear when mom or dad draws near. The same is true for us and God.
The word “Abba” in Galatians 4:6 simply means, “Daddy.” Through Jesus, we’ve been adopted into God’s family. We can cry out to God like a kid cries out to their parents, and He hears us (Galatians 4:6-7, Psalm 4:3).
No matter what is happening around us, we have access to all the freedom and security of a kid tucked snuggly into bed. We don’t have to wait to see if the treatment works. We can cry out, “Abba, Father!” in the exam room, and in His presence, we find freedom from fear. We don’t have to wait to see if the job comes through. We can cry out, “Abba, Father!” and in His presence, release our worries about what comes next.
We all have situations where we think, “If I can just get through this, I’ll be OK.” Paul reminds us in Galatians 4 that we don’t have to wait. We are sons and daughters of God, and in His presence, we are free.
