Hope for the Family

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24

The state of the family is not good in Western culture, even among Christians. In the population at large, fewer people are choosing to get married. Cohabitation numbers are up. Childbirths are down—except for children born out of wedlock. Specifically among Christians, the state of marriage and family health has paralleled that of societies as a whole.

For many reasons, these facts are troubling. Perhaps the main reason is that the family was created by God to be a cornerstone for society and a bulwark, refuge, and source of hope for family members. The first thing God did after creating the woman in the Garden of Eden was to unite her with the man. The very first thing! That speaks volumes about the importance of the family for mankind—especially after sin entered the world. When all hope seems to be lost in the world, there should be hope, love, and security to be found within the walls of the family.

No family is perfect, but God can rebuild broken walls and restore lost dreams. By the grace of God we must do all we can to keep families strong and full of the hope that comes from fulfilling God’s ideal.

No other structure can replace the family.
Charles Colson