In the side dressing room of a quaint country church, a young woman sits, decked in a sumptuous gown of lacy white. Faint sounds of rustling dresses, excited whispers, and busy movements reach her ears, but she does not heed them. Carefully, she pins up her flowing tresses (“The way he likes,” she remembers, happily) and glances out of the gauzy-curtained window to the grassy knoll where the reception will take place—a mere hour or so from now, she reflects.
Just as a bride looks forward to being with her groom and delights to please him, the Bride of Christ (all Christians) should await the coming of Her Groom, which is Christ. While we are single, how can we best prepare ourselves to demonstrate to a skeptical world the beauty of marriage? By turning towards our father, giving him our heart, striving to please him and delighting in his company.
Titus 2:3-5 “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
Daughters, God is calling us to be “keepers at home” in training—He wants to perfect us in the areas of supportive excitement for our authority’s projects, capability in running a household, and loving trust in our Heavenly Father and the way He is working through our authorities.
Patiently, the young lady helped her adorable little sister place the last toy in the bucket, then she strai
ghtened up and said cheerfully, “Rose, let’s go make cookies.” With the little one in tow, she brightly made her way to the kitchen, pausing to bestow a few encouraging words to the cluster of small boys on the play area rug, stopping to admire the diligence of the older ones as they sorted through a complex array of tools, and casting a smile and a loving, “Need anything?” to her busy mother. In the spacious kitchen, she set to work, and just as her little sister finished licking cookie batter off a spoon, the maiden heard her father’s car crunching in the gravel drive. “Dad’s home!” she cried, and caught up Rose to join the delighted pell-mell to greet Daddy. As she hugged her father, she said, “Dad, we’re making cookies for you to take to the family down the road that you wanted to minister to.” “Thank you, honey,” her father replied. “You are a precious gem to our family.”By serving her mother, creating a peaceful home atmosphere, and furthering her father’s goals, this young woman is a blessing to her family and to others. Her secret is placing herself under her father’s authority and at his disposal, content in her God-given role. This daily training has another reward—she will be well-fitted for marriage as a help-meet suitable for her husband. Fellow daughters, do you truly work at pleasing your father and helping him to accomplish his goals? Do you enjoy spending time with him? Let us all work on improving in these areas, so we can be a blessing to the world—through our loving service at home!
Where are all the daughters in the Bible? Except for the tragic story of Dinah, the daughters are found in their fathers’ homes. In fact, that was the norm until the 1900s! In our day and age, this may seem like a strange concept, but the fact is still there—for roughly six millennia, young women were under their father’s roof and protection until given in marriage. Psalm 45:13 says, “The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.” The Hebrew word for “within” is paniymah, which means, roughly, “inside,” or “in the palace.” We are all glorious within the palace—our greatest beauty comes when we are serving our father from our home, not running around out in the world somewhere. [1] I encourage you, daughters, to strive to delight in your father and take joy in serving and pleasing him, for then God is glorified, and our culture is transformed.
What are the consequences if we do not embrace this vision of Biblical daughterhood? Initially, if we pridefully look down upon our earthly father or refuse to joyously submit to him, we are casting a slur upon the name and plans of our Heavenly Father. Ultimately, however, we will be unprepared for marriage, and will have to painfully re-learn things like submission, cheerful support, and delighted home-keeping. Obviously, it will sometimes be hard to cheerfully submit to our father’s decisions or plans, but when that happens we can quietly trust our Heavenly Father, since He has pre-ordained all that is happening in our lives. When we are tempted to lose that trust, we can remember Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” How comforting to know that our Heavenly Father will use all situations for our good! Another area that we often are tried in is contentment. How easy it is to long for the spotlight that girls who are on their own have—how easy to wish for less drudgery and more independence—but Psalm 73:2-3 & 18-19 reminds us,
“But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked….
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.”
When we seek our own will and follow our own plans instead of God’s, we reap destruction and desolation.
How important it is that a knight has a daughter at home, fully supporting his goals, and ready to greet and comfort him when he comes home battle-weary. Lord, make us our father’s daughters!
I got this wonderful article from the Ladies Against Feminism website. www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com
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