February 14, 2019

Today’s readings:
Genesis 2:18-25
Psalm 128:1-5


The foundation for mission is having strong families in Christ. How are families to be in Christ?

From the very start of creation, God already made clear His intentions and design for marriage and family. From the first book of Genesis, we learn that God intends humankind to be two sexes only­male and female, and not the very many genders society has come up with today, thereby making unacceptable homosexual unions and LBGT. God intends the couple to have children, lots of them, thereby making unacceptable contraception, abortion, infanticide and population control. And God intends humankind to have dominion over His creation, thus making unacceptable environmental degradation.

Now, in the second book of Genesis, in the second story of creation, God again puts forth a number of divine principles with regard to family and life.

• God intends a man and a woman to be united as a new entity in marriage. “That is why a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.” (Gn 2:24). Such marriage is to be for life, as a new unity has been created by God, and what God has joined together no one can put asunder.
• In marriage, the wife is to be a helpmate to the husband, who is the head of the family. “The Lord God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable to him.” (Gn 2:18). The headship of the man is signified by his naming the woman. “This one shall be called ‘woman’” (Gn 2:23b).
• Both have the same dignity as humans created in God’s image (Gn 1:27a). And while there are different roles (including the principle of headship and submission), both are complementary. They are intimately linked to each other, as the woman is taken from the rib of man (Gn 2:21-23a). They are to have a relationship of mutual respect, support and nurturing.
• The husband and wife become one flesh in sexual union, intended for spousal love and bringing children into the world, and such sex is holy. “The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.” (Gn 2:25).

When we do not live out God’s prescriptions, then all wrong things happen. Today we have divorce, disunity and strife between husband and wife, unholy sex in and outside of marriage. And such aberrations, or rather deviancy, tend to get worse and even more diabolical.

• Marriage is no longer just between a man and a woman, and not even between two men or two women, but some are getting married to inanimate objects including robots or buildings. How ridiculous. But unfortunately true.
• Sex has gone outside of the marriage bed, resulting in the Sexual Revolution, where anything goes, including necrophilia and bestiality. The latter perhaps do not realize that God presented various animals to the man but none proved to be a suitable partner (Gn 2:19-20).
• Abortion started when liberals argued for those who are raped or the victims of incest, but now has moved to killing any unborn child not just in the first trimester, not just in the second trimester, but even at the point of birth, and even after birth.
• Homosexuality has always existed since time immemorial, but now has morphed into transgenderism, where a boy can be a girl and vice versa, if they simply believe and say so.

Much of the world today no longer know Christ, are not in awe of God, and do not walk in the ways of the Spirit. But if we were to do so, then we would be blessed. “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, and who walk in his ways.” (Ps 128:1). In what ways would we be blessed, especially as families?

• Our spouse and children will be blessings. “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your home, your children like young olive plants around your table.” (Ps 128:3).
• Our family will be provided with what it needs for a joyful life together. “What your hands provide you will enjoy; you will be blessed and prosper.” (Ps 128:2).
• Our lives will prosper throughout our lifetime. “May the Lord bless you from Zion; may you see Jerusalem’s prosperity all the days of your life” (Ps 128:5).
• Our generational line will live on in the Lord, as we “live to see (our) children’s children” (Ps 128:6a), and even to the generations beyond.
• Our family will be at peace. “Peace upon Israel!” (Ps 128:6b).

So say it again, especially we the men who are the heads of our families: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

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