Setting Priorities: Who’s Forsaken?

I don’t do the New Year’s resolution thing. I’m setting priorities. Shooting for goals. Specific. Measurable. Written down in a conspicuous place.

As I set my priorities, there’s a lot of what’s and not many who’s. I’m a doer. My husband is the people person.

But I need relationships. I need the who’s.

Our oldest boys are dating two precious young ladies. As they navigate the waters of relationship, my husband and I exchange knowing looks and savor our memories.

How do you nurture that spark as time passes? Marriage. Jobs. Children. The busyness of life can cause change in the relationship. Do our priorities subtly shift? This change can be true for the Church too. Jesus calls the church His bride and, in the case of the church of Ephesus, the spark was struggling. In His letter to them, Jesus says this:

You have forsaken your first love. (Revelation 2:4 NIV)

Not lost. Not drifted.

Forsaken. Deserted. Abandoned.

Oh, His church was there and they served—but the focus shifted from the Lover to the list. A flurry of activity as the Reason for it all sat neglected.

Jesus’ warning?

Repent and do the things you did at first. (Revelation 5:2b NIV)

And what did His bride do at first? The same things we all did. Our love became the priority. We gave our time and lots of it.  Other things waited.

So, what takes priority now? And who waits? Has anything shifted?

And kids are no exception. Their lives are an endless to-do list: school, practice, homework, oh, and let’s squeeze in a little church.

We teach just how important or unimportant the who’s are every day. The who’s in life must take priority with God in the Number One spot. Is it time for a change? Do some crooked priorities need straightening? (Mine did.)

Set your who’s as priorities. Be specific in your commitment. Make it measurable. Write it down and stick it where you see it, often. What do you want your relationships to be like at the end of 2014?

Questions:

Why should relationships trump to-do lists? 

How has time changed your marriage? Positives and negatives.

Describe your relationship with God when you became a believer.

How has it changed as time has passed?

How do you keep your love for God and for each other fresh, vibrant, and alive? (And in its proper place in your priorities.)

As I set my priorities, there's a lot of what's and not many who's. I need the who's. Click To Tweet

The busyness of life can cause changes in our relationships. Do our priorities subtly shift? Click To Tweet
The focus shifted from the Lover to the list. A flurry of activity as the Reason for it all sat neglected. Click To Tweet
So, what takes priority now? And who waits? Has anything shifted? Click To Tweet
We teach just how important or unimportant the who's are every day. Click To Tweet
The who's in life must take priority with God in the Number One spot. Is it time for a change? Click To Tweet

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