“I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” (Mal 4:5,6)

My youngest daughter and I had a wonderful bonding time while on a road trip in the US recently. A memorable moment was when she told me most of her secondary school classmates had little interest in being married or having children someday. They prefer raising dogs. While I was struck by the pessimism, I told my daughter: “God’s going to give you a message of hope for them. Tell them it’s a joy to be a part of a big, happy family. The world may seem dark, but this is your chance to shine!”

That Satan has unleashed his aggression against the family is not only obvious, it was foretold (Mt 10:36; Lk 21:16). That there will be fractures, rebellion, and betrayals within households are all a part of the picture the prophet Isaiah paints that aptly describes the End Times as “gross darkness” (Is 60:2 KJV). We must not forget: He also prophesied that God’s Spirit counteracts Satan’s scheme by releasing even more glory upon us–upon our churches, and upon our families–than we have ever possessed in history.

If we are not anchored in the truth that God is in control, the turbulence of our times will leave us feeling storm-tossed and despairing as the onslaught against our family moorings intensifies. If we are not vigilant, the eroding of traditions, social mores–even our institutions–will leave us marooned on remote and lonely shores of our own making.

Paul’s voyage to Rome is like an allegory of our times. The waves swelled, the tempest raged, and the sky darkened. Tackle was cast overboard and appetites disintegrated. Reeling on the crests of fatalism and gloom, Paul’s voice ballasts the 276 passengers with a message of hope: “take courage, men, because I trust God that it will turn out just as he told me…for there will be no loss of life among you!” (Act 27:25,22).

God revealed His plan of redemption to His servant then; He’s ready to deposit it into our hearts today. As families are swept up in the typhoons of our time, God is going to elevate us into the Eye of the Storm. As the children of the ungodly are ruptured from their parents, and as self-serving parents abandon their own flesh and blood under the craze of demonic forces set loose from the depths, God is pouring out great grace upon His people. As pain and confusion grip those who refuse to bow their knees to their Creator, the Sun of Righteousness is rising with healing in His wings over the homes of His own special people.

All over the world, a marvelous thing is about to be broadcast. As it was when light shone brightly upon each Hebrew household marked by covenant blood even as darkness smothered the Egyptians Moses’ day, a mighty separation will occur. Hearts will start turning under the impulse of the Holy Spirit. Christian homes will be laser-tagged for restoration. The wedge that drives the godless apart will melt like wax before the righteous. The epistles of joy-filled homes are even now being written.

The promise of grace and glory does not guarantee acquisition. While God’s plan to redeem offers us tremendous hope even as ominous clouds encircle us, let me exhort us to respond with two calls to His offer. First, call out, “Turn my heart, Lord!” It is those who come boldly to the throne that find grace in the time of need. If you having living parents, the onus for restoration is on you. Honor them. If you are a parent, stop chiding your sons and daughters. Receive Holy Spirit power and anointing to heal wounds and nurture them to become princes and princesses of the King.

Finally, remember that God intends for your family to be a life raft for the sinking multitudes around you. Paul contended for all the people on his ship. Godly homes where moms and dads have healthy, dynamic relationships with their sons and daughters are going to be lighthouses to the many who are struggling to bail the seas of secularism wafting into their leaking crafts. Call out to them, “Take courage! Things will turn out just as God has spoken.” As I told my daughter, God’s going to give you a message of hope.