Nobody knows the day or the time so we need to be ready. Preparedness to wait for the exact perfect timing He has set in motion. We can’t lose hope because it’s taking time, we need to trust Him because His plans for us are for good and not evil and to give us hope and a future. If it will take a little longer, do you have the patience to wait? If the process takes longer, do you have the necessary materials to complete it?
Trust in God’s Timing – Preparedness
Ecclesiastes 3:1 - "To everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."
In life, every season has a purpose, and God’s timing is always perfect. As dads, we often want to take control and rush things to happen according to our plans. However, trusting in God’s timing means believing that He knows what is best for us and our families.
Key Takeaways:
- Patience – Learning to wait patiently for God’s timing helps us develop a deeper faith and reliance on Him.
- Faith – Trusting that God’s plans are for our good, even when we can’t see the immediate results.
Practical Ways for Dads:
- Daily Prayer – Spend time each day praying for patience and trust in God’s timing.
- Family Devotions – Lead your family in regular devotions that emphasize trusting in God’s perfect timing.
Preparedness in Blessing Our Wives and Kids
Ephesians 5:25 - "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."
Loving our wives and children means serving them selflessly and putting their needs before our own. This kind of love reflects Christ’s love for the church and creates a strong, supportive family environment.
Key Takeaways:
- Selflessness – True love involves putting the needs and well-being of our families above our own.
- Commitment – Committing ourselves to our families in every season, whether in abundance or in need.
Practical Ways for Dads:
- Acts of Service – Look for small ways to serve your wife and children daily.
- Quality Time – Spend meaningful time with your family, building strong bonds and showing your love.
Preparedness in Serving Our World
Matthew 20:28 - "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
As dads, we are called to serve our families and our communities, following Jesus’ example of servant leadership. Serving others not only blesses them but also fulfills God’s command for us to love our neighbors.
Key Takeaways:
- Leadership through Service – Leading by serving others is a powerful testimony of our faith.
- Community Impact – Serving our community sets a positive example for our children and helps them understand the importance of loving others.
Practical Ways for Dads:
- Community Involvement – Participate in local service projects or volunteer opportunities as a family.
- Mentorship – Mentor younger men in your community, sharing your experiences and faith.
Trusting God’s Timing in Every Season:
In times of waiting, especially when facing challenges like job loss, it’s crucial to trust in God’s perfect timing. By cultivating patience, serving our families with love, and impacting our communities through service, we glorify God and set a strong example for our children. Let’s be the dads who are ready for His timing, knowing that He will open the right doors at the right time.
Today’s Devotional:
This year, I am utilizing the 365 Daily Devotions book I received for Christmas, applying its teachings specifically in the context of fatherhood. It’s called WALKING WITH GOD by DAVID JEREMIAH. It’s exciting to learn from a new resource this year as we have tried different options the past two years and will keep working through this for 2024. For more information about the author and his ministry, visit DavidJeremiah.org.
Topic: THE MIDNIGHT CRY
Verse: Matthew 25:6
' “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ '
How have you been preparing? Can you handle the wait? Are you ready to respond when the light turns green or they go?
Preparedness – to accomplish our purpose
Today’s devotional kicks off talking about the “campfire song that says ‘Give me oil in my lamp; keep me burning.” Let’s be the dads who are ready to offer up this “good prayer” related to The Parable of the Ten Virgins who were waiting for the “bridegroom to the wedding.” We are to be the dads who are lighting the way for Jesus’ return even though we don’t know the day or the time of His return.
So today and every day, let’s make sure we are filled up with His Word and His Spirit to be able to shine daily while we wait. Whatever we do, let’s be the dads who are prepared and don’t find ourselves “unprepared for His coming.”
Today’s devotional continues to speak of the 10 women who to the eye “looked the same, but when the hour came, only half were ready.” Let’s be the dads who make sure we are prayed up, read up, and filled up with the Holy Spirit so that we won’t be disqualified from getting to enter into the “wedding supper” and get “locked outside the house” missing all that God has called and prepared for us to be and accomplish. Jesus provides us a warning in verse 13 where he says: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. ‘
Today’s devotional closes with this challenge to all of us from Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:5 which says “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” So as dads, we need to “make sure the oil of the Holy Spirit is in our heart and that we are prepared for the arrival of our Savior and Lord.”
“O Christian … wait for the coming of your Lord, but let it be with your lamps trimmed and your lights burning.”
CHARLES H. SPURGEON
