Good morning!  I trust your week is off to a great start.  I’m just rejoicing in another gorgeous day in the Shenandoah Valley.  I can’t remember a more beautiful Spring.  The trees and shrubs have been so colorful this year.  Even some of the little purple weed flowers in my yard are quite beautiful (I sprayed them with weed killer anyway– but they were pretty for awhile).  Isn’t God good!  What a blessing to be a child of the King.

             I was reading in Romans 8 this week and I came upon these verses: …. “those who are led by the Spirit  of God are sons of God.  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.”

             Max Lucado shares a story about visiting the old city of Jerusalem with his family.  One afternoon as they walked toward he Jaffa gate they found themselves following an orthodox Jewish family—a father and his three small girls.  One of the daughters, perhaps four or five years of age, fell a few steps behind and couldn't see her father.  “Abba!” she called to him.  He spotted her and immediately extended his hand…

             When the signal changed, he led her and her sisters through the intersection.  In the middle of the street, he reached down and swung her up into his arms and continued their journey.

             Isn’t that what we all need?  An abba who will hear when we call?  Who will take out hand when we are weak?  Who will guide us through the hectic intersections of life?  Don’t we all need an abba who will swing us up into his arms and carry us home?

             Let me just encourage you this morning to trust your “Abba.”  Whatever your need, He is big enough to take care of it.

                                                                 Have a great week!
                                                                 Pastor Barry