Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - FAMILY

 FAMILY

In the Bible, we are told many times of the struggles and trials we will have to overcome in this world. We are informed of persecutions and sufferings that will probably, to some extent, effect us all. In Matthew 24, we are told of wars and rumours of wars, of famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and of nations against nations. Revelation refers to the judgements of God. A “…third of the trees were burned up…”(Revelation 8:7) and by “…plagues a third of mankind was killed…” (Revelation 9:18). In spite of all this “…the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, or wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Revelation 9:20-21).

As if the above weren’t enough, we all know of the problems we can face as individuals as we go through life; problems which may at times seem insurmountable and lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. These, of course, just add to the overall stress of everyday living.

In all of this, we now, more than in times past, tend to forget and ignore some elements that God has planned to help us in dealing with all the real and potential problems that can beset us.  And these, to some extent, involve the three families that we were all supposed to share.

The first of these is our own family unit designed to make us as one. In Genesis, it is said that “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). A family acting as one, and with added offspring, can be a powerful support to each other in times of stress and trouble. Unfortunately, due to changing lifestyles, such family units are becoming less frequent in today’s society,

In addition, we have been granted a family of friends of which the chief should be Christ Himself. The Bible states that “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”(John 15:13). John goes on to report that Jesus said: “You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants…but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14-15). He followed through by giving His life for us, something which most friends are not required to do for each other. But again, even the bond of friendship is not what it used to be. Whereas a friendly handshake and one’s word used to be all that was required between friends, now legal documents in triplicate have to be done up for pretty much everything. Even friendship seems to be much less than previous.

Finally, we are supposed to have the church family for support and to be of help. Hebrews states that we are not to “…[forsake] the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Likewise, Timothy wants us to “…exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2, KJV) and Hebrews repeats the request to “…exhort one another daily” (Hebrews 3:13). But again, even without Covid, the church seems less able to accomplish even this part of its intent now than in previous times.

So the impact of all three of our “families” appears to be lessened compared to what they were in the past. Perhaps that, in turn, is partly the cause of the general increase in anxiety, guilt, stress and depression which seems be so rampant in this day and age. The problems are unlikely to diminish as both the Bible and events appear to indicate otherwise, and so we really need our “families” now more than ever. Logic would have it that we also should work toward reestablishing those connections now more than ever before.

It’s really something we should think about.