Abba, Father...

 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”  35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”—Mark 14:32-36

Over the course of years, I have read this section of Scripture many times. I confess to never noticing that Jesus’ calls His Father, Abba, in verse 36.  

And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.

Jesus was about to endure the full fury of God’s wrath on our behalf.   Verse 34 tells us that His soul was exceedingly sorrowful even to death.  Yet, Jesus, in His soul crushing anguish uses an intimate, endearing term for Father that is equivalent to the English word “Daddy”. 

He used this term despite knowing the terrible, terrible ordeal He was about to go through..

He used this term despite knowing that He would shortly suffer abandonment by His Father on our behalf.  

How could Jesus submit to His Father’s will?  Because He knew who His Father was...He understood His nature and His character.  He could be trusted.  Jesus, in His humanity, submitted Himself here in the Garden of Gethsemane completely into the care of Him who judges righteously...His Abba, Father...His Daddy.  

Father,

Thank you for dying on the cross for me. Thank you for suffering abandonment from Your Father so that I would never have to. Thank you for providing me a way to live forever with You in heaven.  Thank you that nothing can separate me from Your love. Thank you that you bear my griefs and carry my sorrows.  Thank you for Your Spirit who dwells in me and Is ALWAYS with me.  Thank you that You are my “Daddy”.  Thank you that because I am Your child, I can, submit to Your perfect will for me as my Jesus exampled. 

I confess, Father, that some of my physical pain and suffering is likely because my heart is carrying burdens that are too heavy for me...burdens that are Yours and not mine to bear. Help me to humble myself under Your mighty hand...casting all my care upon You, because You care for me.  You are my Daddy...my Beloved.  Fill me with Your fullness.  Saturate my heart with Your word. I want to be so secure in who You are...so convinced of Your love that fear cannot penetrate my heart.  I want to truly want Your will and not mine because You DO KNOW BEST. You see what I can’t. You know what I don’t. You are God and I am not.  Root and ground me in Your love. Put Your song of grace in my heart. Fill me with Your Spirit and help me to see Your lovingkindness before my eyes.

that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.—Ephesians 3:16-21

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him

For the help of His countenance.

6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me;

Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,

And from the heights of Hermon,

From the Hill Mizar.

7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;

All Your waves and billows have gone over me.

8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,

And in the night His song shall be with me—

A prayer to the God of my life.—Psalm 42:5-8