I would like to paraphrase Cary Grant from “The Bishop’s Wife”.  Two things remain constant in this world, youth and beauty.  They are really one in the same. Some people are born old, but Buffy was born young.  She will forever be young and therefore she will forever be beautiful.  

This Saturday night I had the good fortune of having dinner with seven couples that have been married for at least 30 years and some over 50 years.  Later on, God brought to my mind the above truth from “The Bishop’s Wife”.  Every one of those ladies was born young and has remained young.  Their beauty is constant, because it comes from within.  They are all Daughters Of The Most High God.

They all have committed, dedicated and loving husbands.  Men who have recognized their value and have invested their lives in protecting, providing and perfecting their beauty.  Men that realize, that what they have received is a gift from God.  A gift they are not worthy of, but will do all they can do to cherish as long as they live.  Men, who are being true to their calling as Men, Godly Men.  Not perfect men, but men being perfected by their Father.  Men that realize that  this precious Daughter, they have the honor of calling their wife, has been the most gentle tool used by their Father, to shape them into the Godly Men that they have become.

So why am I writing this to you?  Every little girl born of this world, is a daughter of God.  Some have accepted His gift to them, some have rejected that gift.  All of them are equally loved and cherished by their Father.  If you have the good fortune, to win the love of one of His Beautiful Daughters, then you have both gained a reward and a duty.  The reward is obvious and if I have to explain that to you, you are unworthy of that reward.

The duty has become less obvious in today’s world.  So many young men are being raised without a father.  They go through their lives without any model of what a Godly Man looks like.  Take myself, I was 28 before I really had a Godly Man to look up to and model my life after.  At least growing up I had Cary Grant, John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart.  Young men today have gangsta rap and self absorbed celebrities.  They have no idea what their Father expects of them.

I have a solution to this.  If you are fortunate enough to win the love of one of these precious gems, get right with your Father.  Ask Him how you can help deal with some of her (likely few) imperfections.  Ask Him how you should protect and provide for her.  Ask Him how you can encourage her.  Ask Him how you can best care for His Daughter. Invite Him into your marriage, into your life and into your future.

The alternative is not really very good for you.  You see, if her Father has allowed you to marry her, all of the above duties still remain.  If you think your father in-law is a pill, you have no idea how wretched your life can become if you upset her Heavenly Father.  You just don’t want to get to a place where her Heavenly Father is upset with you.  Just imagine if someone would dare hurt your daughter, while you are watching them.  Now, realize that her Father is always watching and has an infinite number of ways to make you pay… and He will exact every last cent from your hide.

I don’t want to end this message on that note, though you would be very wise to heed my warning.  What I want for you is to find yourself 30 years from now sitting at a table with a group of friends that have been married for 30 or more years too.  I want you to be able to look into the eyes of your bride and still see that little girl, you married long ago, laughing and skipping.  I want you to still be moved by her smile and crushed with every tear she might shed.  I want you to be true to your calling as a Man, a Godly Man.  I want you to be blessed by your bride, all the days of your life.

If you don’t currently have this, it is not too late.  You can talk to her Father right this minute.  You can ask Him how He wants His Daughter to be treated from this day forward.  He is waiting to hear from you and He will bless both of His Children in the process. Really, you have nothing to lose, but her love.  If that doesn’t motivate you, then you are unworthy of her love.  Become worthy.  Become a Godly Man.  Become whom your Father created you to be.

Now Is The Time, The Time Is Now!