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We Have A New Papa

“Don’t call God “Papa” or “Daddy”!  Just don’t!”


Those were the anger-drenched words I heard.  

I heard the words, but I didn’t understand why calling God the Father “Papa” or “Daddy” would invoke such anger.

Never forget, hurt people hurt people.

The person who reacted so violently was a person wounded deeply by someone who was supposed to love, protect, and provide for them, and instead they were abused by him.  

So every time God is referred to as “Father,” “Papa,” or “Daddy,” horrible memories dominate their mind.

So what do we do?  I love calling God the Father “Papa”.

In the Gospels, Jesus called God the Father “Abba,” and the Apostle Paul called God the Father “Abba,” as well.  The Aramaic word for “Abba” is equivalent to the English affectionate term, “Papa” or “Daddy.” 

So what do we do?

This is what I did, and continue to do to overcome my daddy wounds.

I had a choice.

I could either allow my biological dad, who had me when he was merely nineteen years old, and who struggled with various issues that caused him to be a non-factor in my life, to continue to cause me pain or I could look UPWARD to my new Papa as my source of life and completeness.

I refuse to live in the pain of my past at the expense of the joy I can experience today, knowing that God says,

“And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.  2 Corinthians 6:18 (ESV)

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

If the Almighty Papa says it, I must believe it or I will throw a pity party for myself.  And pity parties only give the gift of depression.

Through Jesus, you’re an adopted child of God.  You have a new Daddy.  And what I’ve found is that as I accept my new Daddy, I’m able to forgive and have a great relationship with my old daddy.

Check out my sermon “Orphan to Adopted.”  Click here

Marinate on that,

Pastor Derwin