friday flashback... Daddy's Girl.

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." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:15-17

Abba. Daddy. Our heavenly adoption! Do you understand what that means? Can you grasp the implication of being the son or daughter of GOD!? Co-heirs with Christ!? To be accepted so perfectly, so entirely, so unconditionally into this Divine family!?

I was created by an earthly father that didn't want me. It was that simple. He had a life to live, and I was not a part of his plan. In fact, my life was quite an inconvenience to him, so he urged mom to get ride of that life. That little blob of cells that would become me. That tiny beating heart that now keeps time in my chest.

But mom, and God, had different plans. So despite the embarrassment of being a single mom dumped by her long-time boyfriend... mom had me.

And three years later met Joe Talley [aka my dad]. From the moment dad and I met, there was love. Unconditional. Unquestionable. Pure. Love. He and mom married quickly, and we became a family. My name changed sitting at our kitchen table (Talley being a lot easier to spell than Deininger!). We didn't go through a fancy court proceding. Didn't hire a lawyer. I just became his. We didn't chase my biological father for child support. We didn't mention him. We didn't need him. Because I had a daddy.

My dad was a trucker. He often told my mom that she was his shiny new Peterbilt and I was the chrome mirrors [that's trucker speak for the icing on the cake]. When he accepted me into his family, when he took me into his heart, it was complete and perfect. In fact, it was so complete and perfect, that at the age of twelve he actually had to explain to me that I was not his biological daughter. Do you understand what I'm saying? Although I was definitely old enough to remember meeting him for the first time, our relationship was so whole that he felt like my dad, and I never questioned it.

You see... my spirit testified with his spirit that we were family. Biologically or not, he was my dad.

And it's like that with God. When He adopts you, dear one, it's that pure. It's that perfect. It's that unconditional. You no longer belong to this world. You no longer have the inheritance of an earthly father that spoke death over you. Because, sweet friend, that's what this world speaks over us. Death. Sin. Alienation. Hopelessness. But when you are His, you no longer have an obligation to this dead and dying world. Because you are a son or daughter of the MOST HIGH GOD.

We inherit a spirit of sonship! And by that we cry Abba! Daddy! God is not some distant figure sitting high upon His throne... He longs to be your dad! To know you! To have relationship with you! My dad could have chosen to be a step-father. He could have chosen to seek financial support from that man back in Ohio. But he didn't... because as far as he was concerned, I was his. Father God chose to be more than a Creator... He chose to be involved. He chose to know us. God didn't need us. He is complete in and of Himself. Father, Son, Holy Spirit... perfection. But He desired us. He desired to love us. He desired to know us. And how strong is that desire?

Enough to send His own Son to pay the price for our sins. So that we may be redeemed in the eyes of the Most Holy. So that we can cry out to Him. Rejoice with Him. And when we need to... climb up onto His lap, and just be there. Held by our Father God. Just like that little girl in the picture. That little girl that had been rejected by this world. That little girl who was adopted with such perfection, she will never question what it feels like to rest safely in the arms of her daddy.