By M. John Cava

“Families broken or separated: “And the Lord God called unto Adam, Where are you? . . . and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. . . . /O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would to God I had died for thee . . .   /And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father  . . . And he saw him no more . . . “ (Genesis 3:9-10; 2 Samuel 18:33; 2 Kings 2:12 (KJV)

“And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers … lest I send a curse” Mal 4:6 (KJV)

I miss my Dad. Through most of my life he was both emotionally disconnected and physically not there for me. If affected me. It left brokenness in me, and areas that were just void. Especially when it came to receiving and giving real love – it was stunted, utilitarian or shallow at best. I learned to cope.  Unfortunately, he had the same problem with his dad. A small bridge was being built at the end of his life. Then abruptly, he died. But he left me something . . .

Let me share some concepts first. I believe the greatest impression of the image of God on mankind is men and women living in relational love and unity – starting with the family (natural & spiritual), then community. God is love initially in action within himself – Father, Son and Spirit. Then he extends that love into His creation.

When Adam and Eve sinned, believing the Serpent over the word of their Creator- God, they basically switched fathers. Corruption came quickly. First into their relationship with God, then their marriage and then in their sons. The family fell and with it healthy community of families. So, we ended up with “false fathers” without the real Fathers heart and “Counterfeit sons” looking for cheap mantles of anointing, relating in a self-serving way and switching to the next father who offers them a better deal. This is no way to build a church – we need awakening and deep healing.

So where does that leave us as a Church? As the modern day sons are crying out “Whose my daddy?” God is bringing restoration and revelation to a new breed of spiritual fathers that are catching the BIG Fathers Heart – and breaking the generational iniquity. Instead a blessing flows!

We are on a learning curve, but kingdom level relationships are becoming available. Here are a few tips:

Be an active forgiver of people that have hurt you, especially natural and spiritual family members. Confess forgiveness and renounce any demonic attachments with it. Aggressively pursue total restoration.

Open yourself to covenantal living, sharing life lovingly and transparently with a spiritual family.

Be willing to be a father or son in the image of the ”Father and Son.” Be humble enough to receive discipleship in this. It’s new.

In closing, one day, years ago, I humbled myself and asked my (at that point unsaved) father for his blessing to go into full time ministry, though he could not understand why. He turned to me, wide-eyed, and a bolt of Father God went through him to me. He said, “You are my son, and you will always be my son and you always have my blessing. I don’t understand you, but you have my blessing.” An inner alignment and healing occurred and a kingdom-size blessing came from a father.

We need more of this. God is raising up biological fathers, and spiritual fathers, to restore sons and daughters into the image of God. This is the new Church paradigm versus an institutional one. A healed family/community is being readied for the Bridegroom.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, please restore the Church into a loving Family. Raise up healthy families-of-churches led by mature and loving spiritual fathers and mothers with all five ministry gifts (apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists).  Help me to find my local church family which is part of a trans-local “tribe” (family-of-churches), so that I have spiritual family for discipleship and kingdom impact. Heal any areas of orphan-like wounds in my heart and mind. Help me to come into covenantal family relationships, so that the world will know what you are like.  In the mighty name of Jesus.