Abba Father

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer Honoring God as Abba, Father, Not Sugar Daddy

Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job love God for no reason? Job 1:9

There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Ps. 4:6-8

Dear heavenly Father, along with his incessant attempts to seduce us into sin and then condemn us, Satan is always lying to us about you. But today we want to affirm thatnothing has to change for us to know your peace, joy and hope—neither people nor circumstances. We don’t love you simply because you give us what we want when we want it. We reject Satan’s assumption that the only reason we, your children, love you is because you buy our affections with “the good life” (Job 1:9-11).

I never saw a carbohydrate (grain) I didn’t like, and I enjoy a glass of good red wine as much as anyone, but my love for you does not depend upon you being a 24/7 convenience store for me. Your name is Abba Father, not Sugar Daddy.

I love you because you bought me back—you redeemed my life from sin and death by the perfect life of Jesus. I love you because you first loved me and gave Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement and propitiation for my sins. I enjoy the many creature comforts you give me, but I love you in response to your great love lavished on me in the gospel. There is no other god worthy or our hearts affection, adoration and allegiance but you.

Though many are asking, “Who can show us any good? Where is your God now? How can you say God is good? Where was your God when . . . ? How could your God possibly . . . ? Why doesn’t your God . . . ?” yet, Lord, I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Father, there’s no safer place to be—in life or in death—than in Christ. Because you’ve hidden our lives in Jesus, not a hair can fall from our heads, not a breath can be taken from our lungs, and not a beat can be missed by our hearts, apart from your sovereign purposes and pleasure. And should I die in the next hour, my heart will forever proclaim, “My God has done all things well.” So very Amen I pray, with great gratitude, in Jesus’ most worthy name.