Happy Father’s Day!
Isiah 54:13
“All your sons will be taught of the LORD; And the well-be ing of your sons will be great.
I’m a dad of two great boys.
I embrace and delight in that role.
I never really “got” this until I was a dad myself.
But bottom line, I’m glad there is a Great Teacher/ Abba:
It’s my nightly prayer
It’s my comfort and hope.
Philippians 3:20,21
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
Sometimes I read “THESE VILE BODIES” (KJV), and I smile and think I’m certainly Biblical in that respect…true enough.
But the question is, do I get the CITIZENS OF HEAVEN part?
It’s easy to act like this goofy, Chicken Little world is all there is, like the scandal de jour is reality.
But it isn’t. This is but a wisp of vapor in the grand scheme of things.
This verse is saying: REALITY is what’s eternal… and you are a part of it now.
Looking to live in light of
WHATS ETERNAL.
We want to connect with God, but what is Praying in the Spirit? It might not be what we tend to think it is.
The Bible, in Ephesians 6:17–18, invites us to “take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” But what exactly does it mean to pray “in the Spirit”?
While some might connect this to speaking in tongues, it’s more likely that Paul had a broader, more foundational meaning in mind. Rather than just one method among many, praying “in the Spirit” is presented as the very essence of how we truly connect with God.
Consider Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman by the well in John 4. When she brought up the historical disagreement about where to worship, Jesus shared a profound truth: “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). This isn’t about worshipping anywhere sincerely; it’s a beautiful revelation that only those who have received the Holy Spirit can genuinely worship God. It’s through the Spirit, and by His guidance, that our worship—and our prayers—become truly pleasing to Him.
Paul further clarifies this in Romans 8:15-16, reminding us, “You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” God has generously given us His Spirit, and it’s this Spirit within us that empowers us to call out to Him, even and especially when we feel weak (v 26).
This is also why, as 1 Corinthians 12:3 says, “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.” While anyone can speak those words, truly understanding and embracing their meaning comes from the Spirit’s work in our lives. In the same way, our ability to pray stems from our adoption into God’s family and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
So, as you come to God in prayer today—perhaps even right now—and lovingly call Him “Father,” you are truly “praying in the Spirit.” Trust in the Spirit who lives within you by faith. He will be there to help you, to prompt you, to guide you, and to fill you with the wonderful, undeserved joy of speaking to the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, knowing you can call Him your “Abba, Father.”
Between the Garden and the Garden City 