What are your top 3 priorities? How do they align with your wife? Are they the same and so you are heading in the right direction?
Do you realize the impact that not having the right priorities can do on you and your life? Have you realized the impact on yourself, your marriage, and your kids when your priorities aren’t right? Do you realize the consequences of not getting them right?
Top Priority: God
Firstly, putting God as your top priority comes with many benefits. When you and your wife have God as the top priority then you are both moving towards God and hence will draw you closer together. Making God your top priority also helps you to be the dad your kids will need because you will be modeling how to live a life that makes God a priority.
Second Priority: Wife and Marriage
Secondly, putting your wife and marriage second is also critical. Consider how important a solid foundation is to building something that will stand the test of time. With God as the ground you are building your life, your marriage, and your family upon, you have a firm foundation. When you make your wife and your marriage the next layer, it will help your family to have a strong footing on which to build too.
Third Priority: Your kids and family
Thirdly, putting your kids third, helps you make decisions about how you live your life. By having your top 3 mapped out it means everything else can’t be higher than fourth place. Having your priorities in the right order ensures that you are living your life in a way that will glorify God and bless your wife and kids. With the right prioritization, you can model for the rest of the world how important your top 3 are and how they help produce a good and healthy life, marriage, and family.
Finally, anything else can’t get a ranking higher than 4. So where are you at today? Have you figured out your top 3 priorities yet? Have you made the decision to live in alignment with those priorities? Knowing isn’t enough, we need to be living it and putting it into practice!
Today’s Verse of the Day:
For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
Ephesians 2:10 AMP
Firstly, embrace and acknowledge your true identity in Christ. Additionally, you are a divine masterpiece, artfully crafted in the image of Christ, and spiritually renewed. Therefore, it’s important to fulfill your life’s purpose by engaging in righteous deeds.
So how can we apply today’s verse of the day to help us prioritize our lives in order to accomplish the good works God has prepared in advance as husbands and dads and contributing members of society?
Applications of Ephesians 2:10 that will help us prioritize our lives in ways that will ensure we are the dads God created us to be, our wives want us to be, and our kids need us to be:
- Ground Your Identity in Christ: Recognize that you are God’s handiwork, uniquely created by Him. Prioritize nurturing your relationship with Christ to guide your decisions and actions.
- Seek God’s Will: Regularly seek God’s guidance through prayer, scripture, and meditation to discern the good works He has prepared for you in advance.
- Be a Loving Husband: Place your wife second only to God, prioritizing your relationship. Seek to understand her needs, communicate openly, and foster a loving and supportive partnership.
- Model Godliness: Demonstrate Christ-like behavior and values in your interactions with your wife, children, and others. Let your actions reflect your faith.
- Prioritize Fatherhood: While children come after God and your wife, invest time and effort in nurturing your kids’ spiritual, emotional, and physical growth. Be actively present in their lives.
- Lead by Example: Live out your faith in daily life, showing your family what it means to follow Christ. Teach them through your actions and words.
- Serve Others: Engage in acts of service and kindness within your community, workplace, and church. Look for opportunities to help those in need.
- Manage Time Wisely: Plan and manage your time effectively to balance work, family, and personal responsibilities. Allocate quality time for each area of your life.
- Cultivate Godly Character: Develop virtues such as patience, kindness, humility, and self-control. These qualities will positively impact your relationships and your influence as a husband and father.
- Foster Open Communication: Maintain open and honest communication with your wife and children. Encourage dialogue, actively listen, and address concerns or issues as a family.
