It was a rare snowfall in the Houston area this week. The city shut down because we do not have the sand, salt and associated equipment to deal with it. The good news is that I got to watch dads and kids in the neighborhood build snowmen and have snowball fights. I even saw a pickup towing a young man on a snowboard! ATTADAD!
God provided a day off and many dads capitalized on it. My friend, Tyrone Smith, likes to call it a NOW mindset – No Opportunity Wasted. I love that! It is relatively easy when you get an unexpected day off. But it takes intentional effort to boldly prioritize time in a way that allows you to have a catch with your son when he wants to have a catch, or to date your daughter when schedules suggest you are both just too BUSY.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. … The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. – John 1:1-2, 14a. The Father sent His Son into the world, born of a virgin to live a sinless life that would open the door to the Father through His perfect sacrifice. Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. – Romans 5:14-15. If our Heavenly Father loved us so much as to send His Son to be with us physically for a window of time for the sake of reconciling relationship with Him, earthly fathers should boldly prioritize time to be physically present in family. That does not mean we make every event or are able to play catch all the time. It does mean missing events and one-on-one opportunities are to be the exception, not the rule.
I love being a dad! While it has been a long time since I changed diapers, I remember feeling the burden of our kids being completely dependent on my bride and I. It was the beginning of the journey to take kids from dependence to independence in 18 years while exemplifying trust in, and dependence on the Heavenly Father. The journey calls for dads to boldly prioritize time to be physically present in family.
Tips to Boldly Prioritize:
Be there as much as possible;
One-on-one opportunities with a NOW mindset;
Look at the family calendar and prioritize appropriately;
Do your best and communicate when you can’t make an event.
Prayer guide: Father, thank You for being my Father and for sending Your Son to be with us for a window of time. I confess that my priorities were focused on providing financially for my family. I allowed myself to be distracted from the multi-dimensional way You call dads to provide, to be pro-visionary for our kids. Forgive me. Grant me strength to boldly prioritize my time to be physically present in family, to disciple my children as You expect me to. That is the dad You call me to be and that’s the dad my kids need to see. Amen.
A faithful father boldly prioritizes physical presence in family.
