Why, when blessed with His Spirit, do we cry out to the Father? Children cry out to their parents for many reasons, but often they call specifically upon their fathers for more serious concerns. This is because paternal love, in contrast to maternal love, is more selectively responsive. By responding to the emotions and desires of their children more selectively, fathers teach their children what is more and what is less important, as well as what is worthy of punishment and worthy of reward.

A father’s love, therefore, provides for children a measure by which to understand their actions and themselves and guides them to maturity. Once they have made this measure their own, once they have received the knowledge and values that their parents offer them, then they have attained this maturity and enjoy the friendship of their parents. This is what our Heavenly Father desires for us – friendship in His love.

When He reveals His love to us within our hearts, we cry out to Him because we recognize that we fall short, that by our own power we cannot love like He loves. In this respect, His love terrifies us – it is the measure of a father that we cannot hope to reach, a model that we cannot hope to imitate. Yet, God responds to our cry. He comes to us through His Son, and by His Holy Spirit He makes us able to love as He loves. He delights in us, demonstrates for us that He has rendered us who call Him Father worthy of His love, and promises to raise us up in eternal friendship with Him.

Lord, we pray: Teach us to see ourselves Your children as You do. Send Your Holy Spirit to cry out in our hearts so that we may grow ever closer to You.