DADDY OR FATHER?

I recently heard someone refer to God as “Daddy.” I have heard it and read it before, and it has angered me in the past without me realizing why. Well, I decided to do a study on the word, Abba, which derives the “Daddy” concept of God in our English language. What I found is interesting. While the term, Abba, was commonly used in Hebrew culture for children to refer to their fathers, it still symbolized strength rather than affection. The reason many people refer to God as “Daddy” in our culture is because they feel that is symbolizes the affectionate love of God. However, God is also a God of strength. Why can’t the term, “Father,” be used in the same way? A father loves but also disciplines his children. The biggest reason this term angers me, however, is because it weakens people’s perception of God. There is a reason people look at Christianity as weak. Consider the songs we sing, feminine and emotional in nature; consider the language we use, again weak in nature; now consider the implication of a daddy as opposed to a father. We really do a great job at revealing a weak faith to the rest of the world. This is why the word, “Daddy,” significantly bothers me. We need a father, someone who realizes our fallen nature but will love and discipline us, not just a daddy who thinks we can do no wrong.