A Missionary Looks at the Father Heart of God

ThetaskofaBibleteacherorpreacheristocommunicateGodstruthsclearlytotheminds
andheartsofhishearers.ThetaskofamissionaryistocommunicateGodstruthscross
culturally.
Allsuchcommunicationathomeorinanothercountryinvolvestheprocessoftranslating
orinterpretingGodstruthssothatthehearerstrulyhearwhatGodissaying.Andbeyond
thatistheburdenthattheylistentoGodsvoicebutthatismoretheroleoftheHolySpiritto
implantthetruthintheheartsandmindsofhishearers.
(Overthepast40years,wehavespentabout30yearslivingandservingGodinother
countriesandcultures.Wevealsotrainedandworkedwithfellowmissionariesfromalmost
everycorneroftheglobe.Theendresulthasbeenadeepawarenessofthemany
differencesinthewayspeoplearoundtheworldthink,whatdifferentpeoplesvalue,whatthey
believetobelifesoriginsandlifesultimatepurposeetal.)
Wemaybetemptedtothinkthatallapreacherorteacherneedstodoistothinkoversome
verseorpassageofScriptureandthengiveafewthoughtstohiscongregation.Almost
soundslikesomethingthatmaytakeacoupleofhoursatthemosttoprepare.
(Themissionarytaskinvolvesworkingwiththreedifferentcultureshisownculture,the
cultureofthebiblicalwriterandthecultureofthepeopletowhomheisbringingGods
message.)
Butwhetherathomeoronthemissionfield,thetaskofcommunicatingGodstruthstoother
peopleChristianornonChristianinvolvesthetaskofunderstandingtheREALmessage
ofthetextandthenunderstandinghowtotranslatethatmessageintothelanguageofhis
hearers.AndbylanguageImeanofcoursemorethanjustchoosingwords.Imtalking
aboutunderstandingevenhowcertainwordsareperceivedandusedbothbytheauthorsof
ScriptureANDalsohowthesewordsareunderstoodandusedbyhishearers.
Somytaskthismorningissimplytodothat.AndthethemeisonceagaintheFatherheartof
God.
TheFatherhoodofGodliesrightattheveryheartoftheteachingofJesus.Itisthecore
revelationofGodscharacterinJesusteachingaboutHisFather.Weallknowtheopening
wordorwordsinourLordsprayer:Father(Luke)orourFather(Matthew).Weallknow
howJesusoftenaddressedHisFatherinprayerFather.ThenafterHisresurrection,He
toldHisdisciplesthatHewouldsoonbegoingtoMyFatherandyourFather.(Jn.20:17)
Itsoundssosimple.Butisit?Letmeaskusallwhatpictureorimagedowehaveof
Father?AndhowdoesthisfitinwithJesusownunderstandingofFather?
ThroughoutouryearsoftrainingnewmissionariesinCentralEurope,wesawagainandagain
howpeoplesperceptionsoftheFatherheartofGodweremuddiedbypainfulexperiencesin
theirrelationshipwiththeirearthlyfather.Very,veryfewevertestifiedtohavingagoodand
openrelationshipwiththeirownfather.Many,andIamnotexaggerating,spokeabouta
fatherwhoworkedhardtoprovidebutwhoremainedaloofanddistant.Somehowtheyknew
thattheirfatherlovedthembutheneverspokethewordsIloveyou.
Tragicallynotafewspokeofafatherwhodemandednearperfectionwhocriticisedthem
morethanaffirmedthem.Afatherwhoseemedlikehecouldneverbesatisfied.Whowould
askasonordaughterwhoscored97%onatestwhatwasthemistakeyoumade?
Afewspokeoffatherswhoinflicteddifferentformsofabuseonthem.Oneyoungwoman
fromEnglandsharedhowattheageof14shehadbeenthreatenedbyherfatherwieldinga
knife.
Ofcourse,therearemanygoodfathersintheworld.Butthesadrealityisthatformany
children,fatherconveysaverynegativemessage.OnenewmissionaryfromMelbourne
testifiedthathehadntyetbeenabletoaddressGodinprayerwiththewordsourFather.
Perhapssomeofusdonthaveverymanypleasantmemoriesofourrelationshipwithour
earthlyfathers.ButthenshouldthispreventusfromknowingGodasFather?Arewein
facttobeginwithourownsinweakenedpictureofGodinourpursuitofknowingGodas
Father?Or,isitnottheotherwayaroundthatourpictureorimageoftrueFatherhoodis
tobeshapedbylookingatourheavenlyFathernotatourearthlyfathers?
ButanotherfactorwhichcouldalsohinderorweakenourpictureofGodasFatherishow
weperceivethefatherrolewithinourownculture.Forexample,howmuchdoesourAussie
egalitarianismimpactourunderstandbothofourownfatherhoodandalsoofGods
Fatherhood?Ifwefailtoseepotentialfornegativeculturalbiaseseveninthismatter,then
wewillalsoprobablyfailtounderstandinatrulybiblicalwaytheFatherheartofGod.
Twosimpleexamplesmustsuffice.TwomajoraspectsofourAustraliancultureinrealityrun
countertoabiblicalpictureofFatherhood.Imthinkingofournegativeattitudestowards
AUTHORITYandauthorityfiguresandthecentralplacewegivetoMATESHIPinour
relationships.Oneonlyhastoliveoutsideofonesownculturetorealisehowdifferentwe
Aussiesthinkandhowwerelatewithoneanother.Itsnotmyintentiontodelveintothe
backgroundsforthewaywethinkandrelatewithoneanother.
ButIdontthinkwecandenythatwehaveatleastinpartbeensubtlyinfluencedbythese
culturalandworldlyidealsinthewayweviewourownfatherhood.Inourdemocraticsociety
thatmajorsonequalrightsforallincludingforchildrenparentsespeciallyfathersfeelthe
strongpressuretoplaydowntheirauthority,tothinkofthemselvesasthefriendormateof
theirchildren,ratherthanasymbolofauthority.
AndhowintenseisthestruggleinmanyChristianhomesbecausethewholetenorandethos
ofourcontemporarysocietyisrebellionagainstauthority.Howoftenhaveweexperienced
pain,evenrejection,fromthewordsofourownchildren?Childrenwhohavebeentaughtto
standupagainsttheirownparents?HowmanyTVprogramsandsoapieshavehelpedto
weakenoursocietysvalueoffatherhood?Itsveryhardattimestobeafatherintodays
society.
ButincontrasttothisdarknessstandstheawesomelightofGodstruth.ThetruthofGodas
Father.
LivingamongotherculturesinEastAsia,inCentralEurope,andnowmorerecentlygetting
tounderstandtheirmindset
ThemissionarymustbeginwiththetaskofunderstandingwhatGodcommunicatedtoHis
ancientpeopleandthentointerpretandapplythismessageinhisorherowncontext.Then
heneedstoworkonmakingthismessagecleartothemindsofhishearersinthought
forms,inlanguagethatfitswithintheworldviewoftheirparticularculture.Ifanyofusimagine
thatgoingoutasamissionaryisjustabouthavinggoodtheologyplusmasteringthe
language,andthatswhereitends,Itrustthisbriefoverviewofthemissionarytaskatleast
broadensandstretchesyourthinkingonthedifficultyofthemissionarytasksothatwepray
forourmissionariesastheyseektomakeGodstruthaclearandlivingwordforthemindsof
theirhearers.
ButarentweallfacedwiththechallengetounderstandthemessageoftheScripturessothat
wecanapplyitinourownlivesandalsoshareitstruthswithpeopleinourownculture?Im
hopingyouwillsayyes.
TheFatherheartofGodspeakstomeasthefatherwhocares
GodasjudgeandcreatorANDGodasfatherfatherlikecharacteristicsofGodthefather
hoodofGodwhoHeiswithintheTrinityHisrolewithintheTrinity
Fatherisprovider.
Childrenhaveanintimaterelationshipwiththeirfather.
Verydifferentkindofintimacymainlywithsmallchildrenlateronwhenthechildrengrow
up,asteenagers,theyarewiththeirfriends.
Theylistenwithoutquestion,egifthefathersaysmysonhaseaten,thesonwillsay
Fathertriestoteachthechildren,eventhewrongthingswhatevertheprofessionhehas,he
willteachtohischildren,egworkers.Specialtechniquesthatfathersteachtotheirown
children
TheydontthinkaboutGodasFatherneverthoughtofGodasFatheranewideathat
theyhavetolearncomparewiththeirownfathertrytobringittogether
WeunderstandGodasaFatherwhoiswiseearthlyfatherisnotwiseenough
FatherdisciplinesGodseesthefuturebutthefatherdoesnteverythingthatGoddoesis
asawiseFather.
Agoodrelationshipwithhisownfatherafamilyman assoonashefinishedhisjob,he
camehome.Noteducatedtohelpusincertainareas.MostpeopleinIranhavegood
relationshipswiththeirownfatherexceptifaddictedtodrugsoralcohol.
Respectandhonourisveryimportant.Otherwisehisownfamilywillthrowhimout.
ThecontextfortheBible=theMiddleEastnota21
st
westerncenturycontext vastand
significantdifferenceswewillmisssomeveryimportanttruthsifwefailtorecognisethe
differences
OurlivinginAsiaandtheninCentralEurope(quitedifferentculturallytoWesternEurope)has
helpedgiveusanappreciationforcertaintruthsintheScripturesthatwedontalwaysseeor
eveneasilyunderstandwillhighlightsomeofthesefacts/truths.
SeetheFatherheartofGodthroughtheeyesofpeoplewholiveandlivedintheplacewhere
GodcametoearthinthePersonofJesussharefrompersonalobservationsandexperience
withMEpeopleaswellasfromMichaelsinsights.
WhenGodrevealedHimselfasFather.Hedidntdosoinavacuuminaliving,realculture
HecamedownamongmenasaJeweventheJewishwordAbba(deardaddy)isthe
wordthatJesususedwhenaddressingHisFatherinheavenhencenotbyaccidenthow
didtheJewsofJesusdayreceiveandunderstandthistruthofGodsFatherhood?
HowdoesamissionaryworkingamongotherculturesseeandunderstandtheFatherheartof
God?
1. TheheartoftheFatheristoprotectHischildrentoguardtheirgoingoutandcomingin
topreventthemifhecanfromfallingintoerrororeviltomakesurethatthechildren
dontfallintothewronghandsexample:daughterofCopticOrthodoxEgyptianfamilyin
Vienna
2. TheheartoftheFathertoprovideforHischildrenalltheyneedlateronHewillinvolve
themwithHimintheprocessofprovidingforthemselvesafatherwillteachhissonsa
tradesothattheycanlaterprovideforthemselvesandtheirfamilies,andberesponsible
ormakesurethathisdaughterswillbepreparedformarriage(hewillhelplookfora
suitablehusbandforhisdaughters))thetruthFatherisstrongandknowshowtobest
meetalltheneedsofallHischildren(2Cor.9:8)butHisrequirementistoaskandthen
theywillreceive
3. TheheartoftheFathertopassonwisdomtoHischildrensothattheywillactwisely(OT
conceptofwisdomisnottobeconfusedwithbeingoldorjustknowingalotofpractical
stuffaboutliferatherithadtodowithlivinggodly,rightlivestoteachHischildrenthe
rightwaytoact/behavetoensurethathischildrendevelopgoodmannersandknow
howtoshowrespecttootherstohavegoodbehavioursothathewillbringhonour,not
dishonouranddisrepute,tothefamilysnameoneofthegreatestnegativesintheME
cultureisshame,tobeshamed
4. TheheartoftheFathertohavemanychildrenproofofhismanliness,asenseofhis
vigouritisagreatshamewhenheisntabletohavechildrenordoesnthavesons
becausethenthefamilynamewillnotbepassedonGodlongstohavemanychildren
byadoptionchildrenwholoveHimandhonourHimchildrenfromallovertheworld
tobehonouredandlovedbyHischildrentoseeHischildrenblessed
5. TheheartoftheFathertoenjoyintimacywithhischildrenbutneverthekindofintimacy
thatdegeneratesintodisrespectortalkingback,evendisagreeingfatherisright
childrendontarguewiththeirfathersclosenessthatisntcompromisedbyover
familiarity
6. TheheartoftheFathertoblessHischildrentoseethemtrulyblessedtogivegiftsto
HischildrenthegiftofHisSpirit,thegiftofforgiveness,thegiftofeternallifenota
meanfatherbutagenerousFather,cf.Titus3:56
7. TheheartoftheFatheristohaveHischildrentogetherwithHimtoshareHis
inheritancewiththemtohavethemneartoHimtoenjoythem,cf.Michaelsfatheras
afamilymanwhoenjoyedhischildrencamehomeafterworktobewithhischildren
8. TheheartoftheFatheraslovingandcaringasafatherhaspityonhischildren,sothe
LordpitiesusHelovesandacceptsHischildrenhencelivingwithfeelingsofrejection
asifwearentgoodenoughyetforGod,thatHeacceptsusconditionally
GrahamRoberts
Equip&EncourageIntl
2002