And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”  Galatians 4:6

If you have known me for any time at all, you probably know that I am the anti-handyman.  After many honest attempts to develop my abilities to repair things around the house, I am satisfied that I am not handy.  If that trait is genetic, I should be the person you call to fix something at your house.  Sadly, even though my Dad can fix anything, I cannot.  I am likely to turn the small problem into an expensive disaster. 

There is a tremendous confidence that comes from knowing you have a dad who has your back.  It gives confidence to try something that’s just a bit harder than what you are comfortable with.  It provides peace of mind that if something goes horribly wrong, there is someone to call.  Bottom line is there is no substitute for a dad.

Paul gave the Galatian Christians permission to call Yahweh, the holy, all powerful creator of the cosmos, Dad.  They could call the being whose name is too holy to even pronounce, Papa.  How shocking this statement must have been to the original reader.  Once we realize the kind of relationship God wants with his children, it changes everything.

We can have the confidence to reach for something that seems a little too hard for us.  We can have peace that someone has our back when things get tough.  We can relax with all the stiff ritual and formality and just rest in the presence of Dad.

In unsettled times, it is a great blessing to remember that Dad can fix anything.