(St Patrick’s Day, Thursday)
In our reading for today we see the emphasis is made on the value of human life. All life is sacred and a gift from God. All life taken must be atoned for. Marriage is a part of that sacredness of life. It should never be looked at as a slave/master relationship (21:14). Marriage is important because it is about bringing new life into the world and so it can never be taken lightly.
Then we can also appreciate the importance of family lines and the place the first born has in a family. All of these regulations help us see the necessity of strong marriages, which produce strong families, which result in strong communities. The breakdown of marriages is the start of the deterioration of the community and I feel the country. In a country where life seems to be valued less and less, where abortion and poor health care for many are out of control, I wonder how God – the Author and Creator of Life, feels about our response. Life for everyone should be looked at as sacred, providing us a great opportunity for adventure and excitement, but at the same time, an awareness that our lives are not our own, but belong to the One who gave us life.
Blessings on the day!
Pastor Kathy