Read: Romans 8:12–17

A good father reflects the love of the heavenly Father.

好爸爸反映出阿爸父的慈爱。

 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. Psalm 68:5

上帝在祂的圣所做孤儿的父，做寡妇的伸冤者。-诗篇68篇5节

The scene belonged on a funny Father’s Day card. As a dad muscled a lawn mower ahead of him with one hand, he expertly towed a child’s wagon behind him with the other. In the wagon sat his three-year-old daughter, delighted at the noisy tour of their yard. This might not be the safest choice, but who says men can’t multitask?

这样的画面通常只出现在逗趣的父亲节卡片上。那个爸爸孔武有力地单手推着除草机，另一只手则熟练地拉着幼儿拖车。拖车里坐着他三岁大的女儿，正享受着这吵杂的后院巡礼。这可能不是安全的育儿方式，但谁还能说男人不能一心多用、身兼数职呢？

If you had a good dad, a scene like that can invoke fantastic memories. But for many, “Dad” is an incomplete concept. Where are we to turn if our fathers are gone, or if they fail us, or even if they wound us?

如果你有一位好爸爸，这样的画面可能会激起许多美好的回忆。但对很多人来说，“爸爸”这个概念并不完美。如果我们的父亲已经不在了，或是他总令我们失望，甚至是伤害我们，我们可以转向谁呢？

King David certainly had his shortcomings as a father, but he understood the paternal nature of God. “A father to the fatherless,” he wrote, “a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families” (Ps. 68:5–6). The apostle Paul expanded on that idea: “The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.” Then, using the Aramaic word for father—a term young children would use for their dad—Paul added, “By him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (Rom. 8:15). This is the same word Jesus used when He prayed in anguish to His Father the night He was betrayed (Mark 14:36).

毫无疑问地，大卫王不是一个完美的父亲，但他体会从上帝而来的父爱。他写道：“上帝在祂的圣所做孤儿的父，做寡妇的伸冤者。上帝叫孤独的有家” (诗篇68篇5-6节) 。使徒保罗进一步阐述这个观念，他提到：“你们……所受的乃是儿子的心。”而且保罗还用亚兰文孩童对父亲的称呼，写道：“因此我们呼叫：『阿爸，父！』” (罗马书8章15节) 耶稣在被人出卖的那一夜，祂在充满苦楚的祷告中，也称呼天父为“阿爸，父”(马可福音14章36节) 。

What a privilege to come to God using the same intimate term for “father” that Jesus used! Our Abba Father welcomes into His family anyone who will turn to Him.

我们能来到上帝面前，并与耶稣同样称呼上帝为天父，这是何等荣幸！我们的阿爸父，欢迎每一个回转归向祂的人，进入祂的家中。

pray:
Heavenly Father, I want to be part of Your family. I believe that Your only Son Jesus died for my sins. Please forgive me and help me live a life that pleases You.

天父，我愿成为祢家中的一分子。我相信祢的独生子耶稣为我的罪而死。赦免我，并且帮助我活出讨祢喜悦的生命。

Read: Romans 8:12–17

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spiritthat we are God’s children. 17 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.

整理：于姊妹