Malachi is a book best known for its words on tithing. But I like the words on families:
“I will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and I will turn the hearts of children to their fathers.” Malachi 4:6.
A father is an irreplaceable resource. No one else can fill that role. Yet some children and families have no fathers. And others with fathers do not take advantage of the blessings available to them. Teenagers, particularly, can be so driven by a desire for independence or self-sufficiency that their actions and attitudes create a wall between them and one of the most important people God has put in their lives. And it works the other way too—fathers can let pride and unforgiveness create walls between them and their kids. The Bible warns us—do not ignore a root of bitterness. If it grows, families suffer and children go astray.
One of the best things that happened to me was when God ‘turned the heart of this child toward his father.’ When I finally accepted that God knew what He was doing and that He chose my parents for me, and that He would use them to speak words of wisdom to me, I began to make better decisions. God ‘turned my heart’ and I began to experience blessings because I was operating in an attitude of respect for God’s divine authority. I began to respect my father’s role, and God blessed me as a result.
Pray that God would “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the children to their fathers.” Pray it for your parents. Pray for your children. Ask God to bring unity and peace to the families you know and love.
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Household Words: 