Steve Uppal comments

Steve Uppal
Steve Uppal

Fathering is one of the greatest privileges we have been given. It is also a very weighty responsibility not to be taken lightly. But sadly fatherhood has been really attacked and many have grown up in a fatherless generation, many children never even knowing who their Dad was and for some knowing but never seeing. Even where fathers have been at home they have often not lived up to their God given role and responsibility of fathering. Some have been stolen from their families by their work, others by their love for sport or television.

So many fathers I have spoken to have not known how to father and they live with regrets about their shortcomings. They have not shown love, grace and gentleness but perhaps anger and judgement. Some have not known how to draw close to their children and feel a million miles away. To show love seems like something strange and foreign. There are many individual situations but wherever you are at today there is hope for tomorrow.

I want to encourage everyone reading this short article that God is turning hearts. The scripture below is a prophetic word concerning the end times in which we are living. If we will turn our gaze towards Jesus and look towards him, he will be the one that will turn fathers towards their children and children towards their fathers. Our ultimate role model is our heavenly Father. He is good, always good. The closer we draw to him he himself will teach us how we must parent our children and love our wives.

Our task is simple; stay close to the Father, dig into his grace, mercy and love. Then that which we live in every day can be given away to those around us. We do this through prayer, his word and tender, teachable hearts. Though simple it takes courage, commitment and even sacrifice to live close to the Heavenly Father. You can do it. There is hope. I believe in you!

Malachi 4:5-6 'See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.'  CR

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