Turning Hearts of Fathers

As I read in Malachi 4:5-6 it talks about Elijah the prophet being sent to turn the hearts of the fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards their fathers. Then in Luke 1:17 it talks about John the Baptist will be man that will come in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and also turn many in the nation of Israel back to God. I am asking the Lord many questions to understand these passages and the context of what God was doing in this time period and also today. One thing the Lord did point out was that the hearts of the fathers were not turned toward their children. I have noticed in many mature and godly men this heart that has an amazing depth of the Father's love for their children. If I am honest with myself and you, I adore and love my children but the depth of love I see in their eyes is different. Their hearts have truly been turned toward their children, they are genuinely remorseful for the ways they have hurt their children and have steadfast belief in them no matter how tough life gets. It is humbling to share my heart with you in this way but I am maturing in the Father's love for me and that love being poured out to my own family and beyond. I am believing there is a mystery that the Holy Spirit is revealing about family because I know that father's are critical in the restoration and freedom of families. As I have said in the past I am not looking for what I think is a healty picture of family, I am seeking see the schemes of the Enemy that have bound families and what God has done through Christ to set them free. I see that it is a move of God to turn the hearts of fathers to their children. I believe because of the curse that came upon the ground in Genesis 3 that men often seek to cultivate success in their lives with or without God's help but still function under the curse. Christ has freed us from the curse of the Law but we must appropriate this by faith. I see many men in my office who have attempted to be successful in life and thus have turned their heart away from God and thier children. Family just kind of becomes part of life, rather than the primary place where God's love and Kingdom are manifest in their lives. I do not judge men because I found myself in this same place and I am seeking the Lord to transform my way of seeing life to match the truth He reveals through His Word. There is something so deeply moving to see a father investing his very life into his kids, not just appeasing them until he can get to work or his other activities. I believe too many father's don't realize the depth of wisdom and revelation that God has given them, so they tend to devalue themselves and their impact on their children. Many who have talked about revival have talked about raising up spiritual fathers and mothers to invest in spiritual sons and daughters. I do believe the Body of Christ is a family but we often are a picture of the dysfunctional family. I believe it is only through the finished work of Jesus Christ and the revelation of His Word through the Holy Spirit that we will truly become the pure and spotless bride that Jesus will be returning for. Our efforts to clean ourselves up (perform and look together) are a thin veil over our brokenness and need for the transforming love of our Savior. I am so grateful that I have only begun to see the breadth, heighth, length, and depth of the love of God in Christ (Ephesians 3:17-18). Since God is the creator of all family in Heaven and on earth I believe He knows how to restore our broken lives, families, and even institutions. As the elections come closer I put my faith in the King that He will manifest the Kingdom of God which is above every government on the earth.

In His Grace,
Bret