Sometimes I get so caught up in the fears and anxieties of what may happen in the future that I miss what has slipped right past me.
Take marriage for example. Could future events change what we understand today as a Christian marriage?
I thought so… until today when a light suddenly switched on.
There was a time when Australia as a nation quite openly recognised marriage as “the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others” as presented in the English case of Hyde v Hyde in 1866.
However, something has changed but when? When did boyfriend and girlfriend no longer mean dating and terms like ‘moving in’ together, ‘shacking up ’and ‘living together’ become common place? When did the word de-facto become the new norm? When did marriage begin to mean an outrageously expensive social event that had nothing to do with what God has to say about marriage?
No, I don’t have to worry about events in the future taking away from the Christians’ understanding of marriage…it’s already happened!
But should that surprise me when I live in a country that no longer calls itself Christian? No, I shouldn’t be surprised but what should surprise and grieve me is how many believers today have taken on these same values and accepted them as norms.
Let us, as the Body of Christ, God’s Holy People, look not on those who don’t know Christ but look at ourselves and desire, before our holy God, to live holy lives; to encourage one another, to set the example for and build our young people up to honour and please God; that they may choose what is right and good and pure. And then the world will see the light of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ shining as a beacon here in Christies Beach and beyond.
Oh God, may our light so shine that those who are watching will see our good works and glorify You!
May we be that open letter to be read by all; that sweet aroma that permeates all those around us.