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Catherine Brown: A Godly Pattern of Spiritual Parenting from the Father of Love


by Catherine Brown
Jun 11, 2011

Steve ShultzFrom the desk of Steve Shultz:

Catherine Brown just finished writing another article in her series on the Self-Parenting Generation. In this article Catherine highlights the life of Moses and the generational family inheritance he had access to. God, the Father, reminded Moses of who he was. Let this word remind you of just who YOU are and the inheritance you have access to as a child of The Father.

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HR

 

Catherine Brown

Let us consider a few aspects of a godly, spiritual father/mother:

· Loves unconditionally and selflessly
· Establishes foundations, boundaries; builds - identity, discipline, relationship
· Provides for
· Protects
· Accompanies
· Educates/trains a child in the way they should go
· Nurtures/disciples
· Encourages, Affirms, Accepts
· Trustworthy/faithful
· Teaches a child appropriate stewardship and responsibilities
· Lifestyle model – instills character and values
· Forgives and shows faithfulness
· Delivers
· Shows strength

Moses and the Burning Bush – The Father's Foundation

We have been blessed to turn to the life of Moses for inspiration as we look into the topic of spiritual parenting and sonship. As we consider afresh Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush, we can clearly see a godly pattern of spiritual parenting emerging in our Heavenly Father's dialogue with Moses and in the ensuing actions that the Lord takes on behalf of His children, the Israelites.

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up." When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." Exodus 3:1-4

God initiated the divine encounter and met Moses in "flames of fire." Moses had stepped into a holy moment with the living God, which was impregnated with His glory. Our commissioning moments in the presence of God are no different today. We are called in righteousness to serve our God and our Father.

God called out to Moses in a most personal way by using his name. It is my belief that there is always an intimate word of affirmation from the heart of our Father when He commissions us into new Kingdom assignments. Jesus, our beloved Saviour, also heard the affirming voice of His Father at important defining moments in His life and ministry (John 3:21-22; Matthew 17:5).

Moses was required to engage with God at the burning bush. God did not drag His servant into the encounter. After the initial miracle sign of the burning bush, God saw that Moses was willing to enter into communication with Him. God called to Moses and Moses' response, "Here, I am," is indicative of his willingness to surrender to the Lord's plan and purpose for his life. God initiates opportunities for His glory to be revealed to us and through us and we are not passive in this process. There are many doorways of opportunity along the path called "destiny," and doors require to be knocked on and/or opened!

The Lord Establishes Godly Boundaries

"Do not come any closer," God said, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. Exodus 3:5-6

God reminded Moses of his lineage and legacy by speaking to him of his father and his father's father. Having established a righteous foundation for His servant Moses, God now set in place boundaries for His son, which were intended to be for his benefit. The directive from the Lord not to come any closer was not about God being distant from Moses. Rather, it shows us that in a spiritual parenting relationship, there ought to be godly parameters and boundaries that are set by the parent, in order that the child may remain blessed and protected within the relationship. In this particular instance, Moses could have literally died if he had taken liberties in God's presence. It was, therefore, an act of loving mercy on behalf of Father God to instruct His son how to stand in His holy presence.

Moses trusted God and responded obediently to the Lord's instruction. Furthermore, he postured himself in humility by hiding his face before the Lord. His action reveals his character to honour God and to be respectful in God's presence. Similarly, there must be mutuality of esteem and honour between those who love the Lord and each other (especially in the generations) for the fullness of God's goodness and mercy to be revealed.

He Protects, Rescues, Delivers, Nurtures

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, flowing with milk and honey..." Exodus 3:7-8a

We have identified protection and deliverance as aspects of godly fatherhood, and here God reveals to Moses that He has seen and He has heard the cry of His people's suffering and that He is going to take action on their behalf. God's response as our Heavenly Father is to come down into the midst of our suffering and to deliver us into a place of promised rest and blessing. God our Father loves us with an unconditional love that surpasses our ability to articulate or imagine. He is our great Deliverer.

God said, "I have seen, I have heard and I am concerned." The dialogue between Moses and our Heavenly Father shows us the unfathomable extent of God's personal involvement, love and care for and with His children. Our Heavenly Father is ever watchful for the conditions in which His children live and His ear is ever attentive to their cry. As it was in Moses' day, so it is in our day – His arm is not too short to save! God said, "I will rescue them." Our Father in Heaven is a God who protects, rescues and delivers His children. Of course, we understand that it is in Christ's atoning death and resurrection that we are fully redeemed, justified and raised as spiritual sons and daughters with an inheritance in Christ that can never spoil or perish. We thank God that He gave us all in Christ, our Redeemer King.

God also spoke to Moses that He would bring His people into a spacious place flowing with milk and honey. A godly parent is responsible for nurturing those in their care. Milk speaks to us of nurture and the maturation process, whilst honey is sweet and speaks to us of revelation and precious moments with God. We are redeemed for a purpose: The Israelites would inherit all that God had promised for them so that they could be productive and fruitful for God in the place in which they were planted. Grace brings forth God's best in us as we walk by faith. We can be assured of God's faithfulness in relation to our Kingdom call.

He Positions

So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt. Exodus 3:10

A true and loving son/daughter is always desirous to be about their father's business. Jesus Himself clearly comprehended and modelled this (see John 5:36-37). In Moses there was a yearning for intimacy with God, and yet there was a fear in him, partly based around his insecurity over identity and legitimacy (which God would soon address). We are each sent out by our Heavenly Father as God's ambassadors on the earth to carry His life-giving message to all nations. Our comprehension of our call as sons is a precursor to walking in the full revelation of walking as those who are commissioned by God.

He Builds Identity, Discipline, Relationship: Who Am I? A Question of Identity

But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" Exodus 3:11

Moses' heartfelt cry of "Who am I?" is one that echoes down through the pages of history from the lips of every born-again Believer. Surely we each experience a moment at some point in our faith whereby we feel overwhelmed by circumstances before us and are in need of a word from God that would set us firmly on His destiny path for us. What then was the word of affirmation that the Father spoke to Moses?

He Encourages, Affirms, Accepts, Accompanies

And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought this people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." Exodus 3:12

God reassured Moses by telling him that He would be with him. God Himself would accompany Moses through every valley and mountain top experience. God promised Moses that the end result of their faith journey would be a people who would worship God. Do not our own hearts burn within us as we consider the beauty and the power of the presence of God With Us? If He is with us who can be against us? If God is for us there is no situation impossible before a praying man or woman of faith. If God be Saviour, King and Lord in our lives, there is no ruler, principality or power that can stand against our Blood-bought, sanctified lives! A people for God is arising with a testimony of God's faithfulness and love (see also Romans 8:31-39).

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you." God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'THE LORD, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation." Exodus 3:14-15

God's response to Moses is to help him understand that the entirety of his identity is wrapped up in his personal comprehension of who God is and who Moses has become in covenant relationship with God. When we understand our true identity as legitimate sons of God, co-heirs with Christ and heirs of God, then our fears melt away in the security of our identity as sons (Romans 8:15-17).

God once again pointed out Moses' lineage to him: our acceptance and affirmation in our lineage are essential keys to unlock our adoption as true sons.

I will take you as My own people, and I will be your God... Exodus 6:7a

He Provides For

...I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. Exodus 6:6

And I will make the Egyptians favourably disposed towards this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. Exodus 3:21

When we leave a place of oppression in our lives God ensures that we do not walk away empty-handed. The Israelites experienced great favour when God came to deliver them from the Egyptians. They were given spiritual riches (freedom from their oppressors) and physical riches. Every child of God has the potential to walk in the manifestation of the glory of God as they serve Him. We were created to produce fruit that will last for all eternity!

May God melt our hearts with His Father's love today.

Agape and shalom,

Catherine Brown
Founder/Director, Gatekeepers Global Ministries
Co-Founder, Scottish Apostolic Networking Enterprise

Email: admin@gatekeepers.org.uk

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