I just read an article titled “Deterioration of families now a ‘legitimate gov’t concern,’ says activist” and I must say, I find it strange that it was even necessary to conduct such a study. Isn’t it quite obvious to most of us that it would be a concern? Of course I would hesitate to actually say it is a government concern as it appears that the government wants the values we hold in the family relationship to deteriorate. Why else would there be so many laws in place that act as a splinter in the family’s spinal cord?

But we can’t solely blame the government for the mess our country is in as far as the family is concerned. The people of our nation have fallen for the easy way out of most everything. Over the years we have seen men go from working hard in fields growing produce and hunting wild game providing for their family to sitting at desks and relying on corporate farms to provide food. It is more convenient to go to the store and buy prepackaged food than it is to grow it. We have seen women go from cooking, cleaning, and schooling their children to eating out regularly, hiring a maid, and sending their children off to free government child care (aka – the public school system). It is so much more convenient this way is it not?

Our society has become so detached from the idea of family that they have no idea what the word means. We have become a bunch of irresponsible, selfish, spoiled brats who rely on others to provide for us and our children. We have all failed. Parents have failed. Churches have failed. Our government has failed. All in the name of convenience and money.

I eagerly await the Elijah spoken of in Malachi 4:1-6 in hopes for a better day.

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts. 4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

In June my wife and I will be celebrating my 10th anniversary. We have 4 children whom we love dearly. Sure, we have had hard times. We have had our squabbles. It would have been so convenient for us to divorce many times, but we didn’t. We stuck it out and learned to forgive one another for our wrongs. We learned to truly love one another after getting over the infatuation of our courting period. “To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish ‘till death do us part.“

My love for my wife and children grows stronger every day. I could not survive without them. Life would have little meaning. I thank God for blessing me with them.