Daddy’s Home!

Daddy’s Home!

Have you heard the saying “Home is where the heart is”? That seems especially true when you’re a father who has been away from your family for a long time. Some dads travel a lot for their jobs. They can be gone days or weeks at a time. Military fathers might be gone even longer—for over a year. Maybe that’s what makes the reunions of military families so special. It’s not hard to find videos online of returning soldiers who surprise their children by getting home earlier than expected. By the time the video ends, most people find themselves dabbing tears from their eyes.

What is it about these scenes that makes them so powerful? Maybe it’s the fact that the wait is over. The soldier has safely returned. They are, simply and beautifully, together again. Reunions like these melt our hearts, but they absolutely thrill God. His heart longs for families to be together, for hearts to be turned toward each other, especially between dads and their children.

Did you know God talked about this in the Bible? In Malachi, God told his people that another prophet would be coming soon to do something very special: “His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). God really cares about the love between a father and his daughter! He wants dads to see their girls as special treasures, worthy of their time, attention, and love. He wants girls to turn away from other distractions in life to honor and respect their dads. It’s beautiful and powerful when God’s people have their hearts turned toward home.

Daddy-Daughter Time

Do you ever have to spend long amounts of time away from each other? If so, how do you spend time together when you’re reunited? Search for videos on the Internet that show military dads surprising their kids. Pick a favorite and discuss what makes it so special and interesting to you.

Plan how you might set aside some special daddy-daughter time the next time you have to be apart. Think of ways to surprise each other with a little note, poem, or other little gift. When you give your gift, start by saying something like “I want you to have this to show you that my heart is with you, because . . .” and explain what you’ve missed most about the other person.

What’s The Word?

His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers.   Malachi 4:6