Comments on: What’s Your Name for God?

By: butterfly

butterfly — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 19:19:51 +0000

I also grew up with an emotionally abusive father–who never said I love you or showed any interest in me or any affection. When I got saved, the wounds that my earthly father gave me kept me from going “boldly to the throne of grace.” Because of my upbringing, I held alot of guilt and shame, and felt like I just wasn’t good enough.
I kept myself from being free to know who Jesus really is–thinking that he wouldn’t like me–just like my father didn’t. Or I would try to work out my salvation through good deeds. The enemy, of course, kept me tormented for years of thinking that I was unlikable and unlovable. Finally, I took a leap of faith, and cried out to God (with my unlovable self) I took Him at his word at last–that he loves me-free and clear! The next day at my church, I was delivered from my past and could feel the Holy Spirit lifting my spirit up. It was amazing. I have never looked back. Jesus will never leave me or forsake me. I bask in His unconditional love. Peace.

Be Blessed!

By: Rusaved

Rusaved — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 11:29:52 +0000

As I read the responses, I began to reflect on when God was a daddy to me.
AS some of the other women that have responded, my father (he lived with us a nd provided for us)was an abusive father, belittling us, beating us, etc. So I didn’t have a good role model of a father.
But one day, I began to learn that Abba, Father loved me as a daughter.
I was in the church, unhappily married and beginning to enter into an affiar with a fellow church member.
One day, the church member cmeto me taht he was awakened three different times (twice he got up walkled around, ate and went back to sleep) during the night by the voice of God telling him, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm”.
He (the guy)came to me and told me what happened and that he had never heard the voice of God before and he didn’t know what I had going on with the Lord, but WoW! God really had it for me!
It was that day I knew God protected me like a father would cover his child to prevent injury or a fall.
I knew I had to turn to the Lord to show me what a father is really like. ( Because my earthly example was so poor) I also pray that the Lord would cause my husband to be a father like Him for my daughter to avoid the problems I had experienced growing up and desperately needed when choosing a mate. I had to learn to not compare my Daddy, Abba Father, with my earthly Father and forgive him (my earthly father) too because he didn’t have a good example either.

By: wondering04

wondering04 — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 04:08:51 +0000

I cringe when people pray, “Father God” too many times. I grew up in an abusive home and for me, keeping God at a distance was a premium. While we are closer, I am still not certain how much of a Father I want in God. But that is slowly changing.
Heather

By: Jeane'

Jeane' — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 01:33:45 +0000

This devotional was so touching @ this time in my life, my heart has been so heavy and as always my Father has held it together. I find it easy and wonderful to have God as my Father and fine a serenity in calling him Abba Father. The comments that have been shared have been very enlightening. I do find it hard to call my Father daddy though. The reason being my earthy daddy was not there for me growing up and lived in the same city as I and I always had to still address him as daddy. Therefore I feel you can call anyone daddy but Father for me is sacred. My Father has always been there for me and has never forsaken me. I love him with my entire being and He is everything to me. Thanks for you all sharing and please keep me in your prayers.

By: brighterskys

brighterskys — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 07:06:00 +0000

This devotional brought tears to my eyes as I was reassured ‘again’ of God’s love for His children.It’s when life gets realy tough and when there are so many demands on me that I miss my mum and dad. Sometimes I long to be a little girl again.I long to talk things over with them, aks for their help and advice.I want them to do all the things they use to do for me.
God has reassured me of His love for me. He has reassured me that He cares for me, is there for me just as my mum amd dad were there for me. Thank-you again Father for reminding us just how near You are to Your children.

By: Reva

Reva — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 06:39:55 +0000

Hi everyone,
For me when I think of God our Father as Abba Father, I am reminded of an image that came to me while my kids were playing at a park long ago. They were at the very top of a very twisty slide. They could not see the bottom and were a bit afraid, but I called out to them and explained that I was there at the bottom to catch them. Even though my kids could not see me, they heard my voice and just trusted me and slid right down. ( Okay:) I realize that I’m mommy not daddy, but the image did come to me at the time:) I often think of Abba as a loving father who helps you climb the ladders of life and even when you can’t see him at the bottom, when things are at the end of a twisty turmoil He is Abba waiting there to always catch us. And then, help us right back up those ladders of life.
Reva

By: Hannah

Hannah — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 04:10:25 +0000

This is a great discussion. It has always been easy for me to say Abba Father and I think of Him as my Daddy. My earthly Daddy died when I was 11 years old and he was a wonderful one. When I pray, I usually start Dear Heavenly Father, my Abba Father. I feel so close to Him through prayer and listening to Him.
Angela, I will be praying for you as you go through your struggles. Just hold onto Him because He is holding onto you. May He bless you with strength and comfort. Hold onto your Faith. God is so great and so faithful and it would be hard to live in this world without a close ralationship with Him. Because of a physical limitation, it has allowed me to become closer to Him. Maybe that is why I have it, because maybe I needed to be closer. God Bless you all, Hannah

By: Claire

Claire — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 19:45:58 +0000

There are such strong images associated with names.

Leslie — when I read your comment about trying to reconcile strength and tenderness it reminded me of a line from a poem “strength by gentleness confined”. For me it’s the idea of God as a gentleman, He could coerce us, He could overcome us with His strength but He chooses not to do that, never to do that. He comes by invitation, He draws near in the context of relationship. He is always present, never forceful. Strong and tender in the way He uses that strength with us — we’re so fragile.

By: Lou Ellen Wilson

Lou Ellen Wilson — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:33:54 +0000

I was not close to my father while growing up. He was away from home a lot. When I was saved at eleven years old, I never have had a problem calling him father. I tell him,”You are my father, mother brother sister friend. In other words he is everything to me. People disappoint you but he never does. We know that he wants what is best for us so we can put our trust in him.

By: Angela

Angela — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:39:27 +0000

I wish I had that kind of relationship with God. I can call him Father and I believe he loves me as a father. Yet I have so many fears and walls up. I had 3 “dads” growing up, each treating me worse than the other, each betraying and abandoning me. I had to call them dad. So calling God that only makes things worse. How I long to really believe that God is trustworthy as a dad, that he won’t give me stone for bread, or a snake for fish, that in the end he will always be there, always love me and mostly I long to be able to rest in that love, to not feel afraid or having to stay alert, just in case. God is faithful, he keeps loving me and being my father, and I am aware of his presence, even as I struggle.