Embracing the Spirit of Mothering

Embracing the Spirit of Mothering

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

It is ironic that the dominant culture of today embraces mothers and, yet, often diminishes mothering. One who accepts the role of mothering is one who nurtures, protects and sustains not only physical life, but also emotional and spiritual life.   

As with many female figures in the Old Testament, Eve represents the Church, the Bride of Christ.  She is also the first to walk in the spirit of motherhood.  We are familiar with the woman and the fruit, but pay little attention to what happened afterwards.

Genesis 3:9-12 (NKJV) “Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

  Adam blamed God for giving him the woman.

Genesis 3: 13 (NKJV) “And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

The woman discerned the root of the problem—the deception of the serpent.

Even though the woman had been deceived¸ she came to understand the deception of the enemy and call it for what it is.  In the same way, for the Church to walk in the spirit of mothering, we must, male and female both, have the discernment to call out fallacy and deception.  If we condone the deception, we can no longer nurture and protect.

When we step up, God steps in.  Genesis 3:14-15 (NKJV) “So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."

When we step up and God steps in, others, including the Adams who blame their troubles on others, will often step up as well.

 Genesis 3:20-21 (NKJV):  “And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”

In Hebrew, Adam called his wife Chavah which means “life-giver”.   In naming his wife, Adam accepted her destiny as the one who will not only give life to their immediate children, but who will also be the source of eternal life to her generations through the sacrifice her of seed, Jesus Christ.

The Church is called upon not only to evangelize, to call people into new life in Jesus, but also to nurture, protect and disciple that new life.  Establishing a mothering spirit in our churches and in our homes will do much to correct the ills in our society.  No matter how the family is structured, a mothering spirit can prevail.  One does not have to be a female in order to walk in a spirit of mothering. One need only submit to the chavah spirit of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:45 (NKJV): “And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” 

Jesus walked in the chavah spirit.

Becoming an Instrument of God’s Peace

Becoming an Instrument of God’s Peace

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

The gospel of Matthew records Jesus speaking of the wars and rumors of wars that will come. We speak often of these wars on a global scale and just as often neglect the root of those wars. The root is a spirit of strife, hopelessness and anger that rests in the hearts at the community, regional and national levels.

The wars include more than military engagements. The wars are emotional, physical and spiritual as well. The entire planet is experiencing emotion, physical and spiritual warfare at this time.

Unfortunately, many have reacted with anger and bitterness which only breed more anger and bitterness. We accomplish nothing but the breeding of more strife by sitting over our coffee cups and grousing and blaming. The media breeds strife on a global scale, but still accomplishes nothing.

We may say, “What can I do? I am only one person.”

Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord said, "So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one” (Ezekiel 22:30).

Are you willing to be one person to stand in the gap against the spirit of strife, hopelessness and anger?

How should we stand? “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8).

Personally, we must “let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” (Amos 5:24.)

Jonathan Cahn, author of The Harbinger, The Paradigm and the Oracle has said that we must do more than pray for revival. We must live in revival. If we live in revival, revival will start now.

It is time to humble ourselves and pray with St. Francis of Assisi:

“But Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”

Amen and again I say, Amen.