The Ballestero Blog

A Nursing Father

A Nursing Father? Yes! That’s how Moses saw his own role as leader of the Children of Israel. He saw himself as a nursing father to them. They were often rebellious, unwilling, unbelieving and hard to control. Yet, he constantly nurtured and guided them. He mothered the people of God.

Sure he depended solely on Jehovah to direct his every word. Yes he daily had to ask for Divine guidance and support. But it was up to Moses how and in what manner he dispensed the instructions of righteousness. He had to nurse them all into understanding and believing. He mothered them from a promise to a possession.

• They craved their old life in Egypt.
• They wanted idols like the heathen had.
• They complained about the manna.
• They fussed about Moses’ authority.
• Yet they were helpless without him.

1. Moses Felt Like He Was A Nursing Father,

Numbers 11:12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

Moses did not ask for this role. It was imposed upon him. God saw his heart and knew this would be the man who would nurse and nurture the Israelites.

• As a nursing father, he nurtured a nation into the Promised Land.
• As a nursing father, he provided guidance and strength for them during the harshest of times.
• As a nursing father, he gave of himself completely.
• As a nursing father, he pled for their very lives and survival before God.
• As a nursing father, if God had killed all the disobedient Israelites, he was willing to die with them.
• As a nursing father, he gave his very life for them.
• As a nursing father, he has been remembered by Israel to this day as their hero and their father.
• He nurtured them even though they were a thankless group of people.

Moses went to school in the wilderness and trained to be a nursing father for forty years as a shepherd. As a shepherd under God, he provided guidance, protection and provision for Israel when they couldn’t take care of themselves.

2. Job Was A Nursing Father

Job 1:4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Job 1:5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Job prayed and sacrificed every day to God for his children, just incase one of them might have sinned or thought bad thoughts. His life was an example of love, thoughtfulness and righteousness to his children.

3. Joshua Was A Nursing Father

Joshua 24:15 … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

• As a nurturing father, he chose the proper life for his children.

4. The Apostle John Was A Nursing Father

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

• Nothing makes a nursing father happier than to know his children are living for God.

5. A Pastor Is A Nursing Father

There are a lot of pastors and teachers in the church world, but not many of them are fathers.

1 Corinthians 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

A pastor is not called to be neither a politician, neither is he to be a lord over God’s heritage. With Divine guidance, a pastor is meant to nurture new babes in Christ into spiritual maturity.

• He teaches the flock over which God has given him the oversight.
• He cares what happens to every one of the flock.
• He prays daily for those in need.
• He visits the sick.
• He prays in the altar with the wayward and the sinful.
• He goes a fast with those that need a miracle.
• He prays for God to give him a word of comfort for those in pain.
• He speaks to the wayward and directs them back onto the right way.
• He gives his life for those God has given to him.
• He doesn’t preach the love of God with a closed fist.
• He doesn’t try to run see how many he can run off, but how many he can get in.
• He doesn’t throw souls away.
• He will even be standing beside every one God has given to him in the Judgment giving an account.
• He is to all who hear him, a nursing father.

Thank God For Our Pastor, Our ‘Other Father’

6. As A Dad, Are You A Nursing Father?

Heaven gave you precious little lives to provide and to care for. A father is deemed to be a good father when he loves his children and provides a good home life and example for them.

• A father protects his children from all harm.
• He guides their little minds and their lives in the ways of right.
• He shows them how to live for God.
• He displays tenderness and affection to their mother and to them, and thereby defines to his children the role of a nursing father.

As A Nursing Father

• He walks the floor with his fretting baby at night.
• As a nursing father, he provides for his family, regardless of how well he feels.
• As a nursing father, he willing sacrifices for his family.
• As a nursing father, he cries with his hurting children.
• As a nursing father, he comforts and holds his babies when they need him to.
• As a nursing father, he sometimes has to say no, to protect them.
• As a nursing father, he provides reassurance of love, even in correction. (Especially in correction.)
• As a nursing father, he is not harsh, but loving, not weak, but gentle.
• As a nursing father, he is firm, but not mean.
• As a nursing father, he provides protection and safety for his home.

Some fathers do not become involved in their children’s lives. What a loss and what a shame!

The Commandment To Be A Nursing (Nurturing) Father

Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Love them babies like your heavenly father loves you. Life’s greatest joy of fatherhood is the loving and the nurturing.

Thank God For Nurturing Fathers!