I love you Neil and Lydia...Dad

It was Jesus who made the fatherhood of God visible and real, for He said, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father"

(John 14:9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?).

If God were a bully and a tyrant, would He become like one of us, live in our world, share our burdens and difficulties, and finally, bear our sins on the cross? Would He weep with the sorrowing, receive the children into His arms, feed the hungry, forgive the sinners, and lovingly teach the common people the saving truth about God? His earthly life and ministry can be summed up in one word: love, for God is love.

Today the Holy Spirit in our hearts witnesses of the Father and assures us that we are indeed His children. Those who trust Jesus Christ have received "the Spirit of sonship," and "by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'"

(Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.)

(Galatians 4:5-6 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”)

"Abba" is the Aramaic equivalent of our English word "Daddy," and it speaks of love and intimacy.