Malachi talks about in the last days that the hearts of the fathers would be turned to the children and the children’s hearts to the fathers.  Turning hearts in families is God’s business. 

Malachi 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Turning Hearts in Families

Malachi talks about in the last days that the hearts of the fathers would be turned to the children and the children’s hearts to the fathers.  Turning hearts in families is God’s business.  He wants husband and wife, children and parents to have hearts that are right with God and right with each other.  If the hearts needed to turn in the last days then obviously they were heading in the wrong direction.  It is a characteristic of today that mom and dad do not have the hearts of their children, especially in Bible-believing churches.

Father to the Children

First of all, dad’s heart needs to be turned toward his children. He needs to not put everything off on mom but needs to engage his children about the things of God.  The primary responsibility for Bible teaching and training in the home is the father’s.  Dad needs to set the direction of the home and then mom needs to guide the home based on that direction.  The children need to see a father that loves and cares for them.  Sadly that is lacking in today’s culture.  The main way you keep your heart toward children is staying married to their mom.  Divorce and broken homes do not show a heart of dad toward the children.  Instead it shows selfishness.  You need to have your children trust you with everything as a good dad.  You need their heart so that they come to you with important life questions.  You need their heart so that they seek your guidance as they get into their teens.

Children to Their Fathers

Children need to turn their hearts from the world and to their fathers.  They also need to turn their heart from their peers to their father.  They will not get good, godly advice from their peers.  Children need to come to their parents when it is time to make important life decisions like choosing a mate, seeking a career, dealing with a call to service for the Lord, and getting right about all kinds of things.  Children need to have their hearts right with mom and dad all of the time.  They need to obey because it is the best thing for them and no one will care for you more than mom and dad if they are godly parents.

Photo by p_x_g