Today is my wife’s birthday. She had to go into the office and I had a few things to write, so she requested I write them all before she got home in order to maximize our time together tonight. So, here’s today’s blog post.
Her request reminded me of something very important: My marriage is my first ministry. Not that I had forgotten, but it still served as a great reminder of my identity and my calling.
Chiefly, I am a son of God. A member of His family through the power of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Then after that, I am Emma’s husband. Called to love her as Christ loves the Church.
Soon, (even though I have already embraced the role) we will meet our child, and the responsibilities of fatherhood will begin.
Then, and only then, come any other ministries the Lord calls me to.
As men of God, we must understand and embrace this hierarchy if we hope to live the Christian life and live it well.
Above all else, we are children of God. Welcomed back into the family. Bought and paid for by Jesus Christ. Praise God for rescuing us. If we understand this, then the Lord will empower us to be good husbands.
To be a good husband we must die to ourselves daily, to embrace a sacrificial love, as Christ did (does) for the Church. Love is patient and kind. It isn’t jealous or full of pride. To love our wives well, we must first accept and cherish the love that Christ has for us.
Then, the Lord will help us to be good fathers just as He helps us to be good husbands. As we love our wives with Christ-centered love, our wives feel safe, protected, and cherished. This then encourages and enables them to be good mothers, and together we can love our children well, and raise them up right.
After you’ve made sure all these things are in their proper place, then you can be empowered to be a good steward of the other ministries the Lord has called you to.
If our alignment isn’t right from the top down, everything will be thrown off.
So, with that being said, it’s time for dinner and cake 😁.
John Ciannello 