在美國總統哈利．杜魯門宣布二戰結束的幾分鐘後，密蘇里州格蘭德維尤市一間木板搭建的小房子裡，響起了電話鈴聲。一位92歲的老婦人向客人致歉，去接了電話。她的客人聽見她說：「喂，是的，我還好。是啊，我一直在聽廣播⋯⋯如果可以，現在你能來看我了⋯⋯再見！」過後老婦人告訴客人說：「我兒子哈利打電話來，他很棒⋯⋯我知道他會打電話來。他總是在事情結束後，打電話給我。」

無論我們有多大的成就、多大的年紀，我們都渴望打電話給父母，想要聽見他們肯定地說：「做得好！」我們也許功成名就，但還是他們的兒子或女兒。

可惜不是每個人都能跟父母有如此親密的關係。但是我們藉著耶穌，都可以有上帝作我們的父親。我們這些跟隨基督的人，被領進上帝的大家庭，因為你我「領受的是上帝的靈，上帝收養[我們]作了祂的兒女」（羅馬書8章15節，新普及譯本）。我們現在「是上帝的後嗣，和基督同作後嗣」（17節），便不再以奴僕的身分對上帝說話，而是像耶穌一樣，在需要的時刻能親密地呼求上帝：「阿爸，父！」（15節；另見馬可福音14章36節）

你有什麼事或需要嗎？儘管告訴你的天父。

Minutes after US President Harry Truman announced the end of World War II, a phone rang in a small clapboard house in Grandview, Missouri. A ninety-two-year-old woman excused herself to take the call. Her guest heard her say, “Hello. . . . Yes, I’m all right. Yes, I’ve been listening to the radio. . . . Now you come and see me if you can. . . . Goodbye.” The elderly woman returned to her guest. “That was [my son] Harry. Harry’s a wonderful man. . . . I knew he’d call. He always calls me after something that happens is over.”

No matter how accomplished, no matter how old, we yearn to call our parents. To hear their affirming words, “Well done!” We may be wildly successful, but we’ll always be their son or daughter.

Sadly, not everyone has this kind of relationship with their earthly parents. But through Jesus, we all can have God as our Father. We who follow Christ are brought into the family of God, for “the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship” (Romans 8:15). We’re now “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (v. 17). We don’t speak to God as a slave but now have the freedom to use the intimate name Jesus used in His hour of desperate need, “Abba, Father” (v. 15; see also Mark 14:36).

Do you have news? Do you have needs? Call the one who is your eternal home.