First Words

As mothers, we feed, rock, change, clothe, and entertain our babies from the first day we bring them home. Then the list starts over and over as we continue this sometimes messy work until the lonely single digit hours in the dark of night. 

Many mornings when a new little one was in our home I learned that birds make beautiful songs before the sun comes up. I had no idea what I had been missing.  

Dads are awesome, but it's a rare father who takes over most of this work. In case you wonder, the studies show that your husband is typical if he leaves the bulk of the newborn nurturing to you, the mom.

It is a thankless job. The biggest response will be complaints and will come at the top of your baby's lungs, if you aren't fast enough or the formula is too cold. 

You long to move past this stage and finally interact with your charge and hear your baby's first words. It would be nice to hear her say your name. 

Finally, the day of first words arrives and Dad walks in the door. The first words from your little charge will probably be, "Da Da!"

Those first words are precious, even if you think they are misguided. It's pretty universal, though. Moms do the work, Dad's get the first words. The words are still precious. 

God longs to hear our first words. Not, "Thou" or "Heavenly Father" but "Daddy."

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery

leading again to fear,

but you received the Spirit of adoption,

by whom we cry, "Abba, Father." 

The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit

that we are God's Children.

Romans 8:15,16

God longs to have the kind of relationship where we call him Daddy or Papa. That is what Abba means. 

We are His children. If the idea of calling God, Father, is making you cringe, it may be because your relationship with your father makes your cringe. 

Try it.  Pray and call Him Daddy. He longs for us to crawl in His lap and talk to Him as a little child would. 

May the cry of our hearts be Abba Father - Daddy!