Although my previous blog suggested a
redirection of future blogs to marriage and family from random subjects that
grabbed me, it will not be an either/or situation. Marriage is affected by
cultural changes—often the burden of my previous blogs. As today’s blog shows,
the “big picture” affects you and your family, perhaps more than you realize.
Let me know your thoughts.
Some-one
told me recently of a young colleague who married and went on honeymoon for two
weeks. On her return, she was asked how the vacation went, to which she replied
the marriage was over and they were getting divorced.
I was
twenty-nine, married ten years, when our young family immigrated to Canada. Until
that time I knew of only two divorces. A lot has happened in nearly fifty years
since. Now, of course, England is plagued with the same deterioration of marriage
as most western nations.
At the
outset, I want my view that undergirds the deliberations of this blog clearly
understood. Much of what happens in this world, both on an international and
personal level is a reflection of the spiritual battle instigated by Satan.
Those who dismiss
the spiritual element in world affairs have an enormous problem accounting for
evil residing in humanity. They vainly hold to the idea that humans are
basically good, and changes, perhaps initially unpleasant, will eventually lead
to humanity perfecting itself.
Paradoxically,
that philosophy results in support for a declining value of life. It commenced
with the sixties attack on the morals guarding sex and reproduction. It
demanded sex “liberated” to greater freedom: recreation without procreation, or
simply, sex without children.
Abortion was
a natural outcome, lowering the value of human life, which in turn opened the
door to euthanasia, assisted suicide, and “mercy” killing. This battle and its eventual
wider demands, now being waged in the “civilised” west, must have Hitler laughing
in his grave.
What has
this to do with marriage? Simply that breaking up the family is an assault on
the children. Fracturing the nuclear family leads to the decreasing safety of
children within marriage. That abets and parallels the fracturing of society
and the decreasing security for the vulnerable.
It is no coincidence
that the decline in regard for God parallels the lowering of the value of human
life, a breakdown in morality, and the assault on the family. Without the
Creator’s compass to direct life, maintaining a just society rests on the opinions
of fallen humanity.
This is why
the Gospel is a redeeming influence on society at large, for, it seems to me,
the long term stability of a nation rests on the care it provides to the weakest.
And that is reflected in God’s love for us.
