Recently my 16-year-old daughter and I went door-to-door in our neighborhood to sell tickets to a fund-raiser for her high school softball team.
When we knocked on the door of our neighbors across the street from us, the woman answered the door.
As we chatted, she informed us that her husband of ten years had walked out on her about a month prior with little explanation except, "I don't love you anymore.
" She had been blindsided by his action - he'd given her no indication that he was unhappy.
This was his second marriage and her first.
She had a child prior to marrying him, they had a child together, and they brought a very young foster child into their home about a year ago.
I asked her if she thought he would come back, that perhaps it was just a kind of temporary insanity.
She said no, that within five days of leaving he had changed his bank accounts, credit cards, etc.
He came by to pick up their son once a week, and that was the extent of his involvement.
This kind of behavior seems to be on the upswing.
On our same street, there is a woman who supported her husband through medical school while having five children, and just as he was finishing school, he met a patient, had an affair and was gone.
My neighbor was actually pregnant with their fifth child when this happened, and that child turned out to be a special needs child, who cannot walk or talk.
It's been nearly six years since then, and my neighbor home schools her children, and gets occasional help from her parents, but mostly does it alone.
I am continually amazed at her strength.
While men are not the only ones who are leaving their families with little notice or explanation, in the stories I've heard, men are most often the ones who leave their families.
It makes me wonder...
what is causing people to do such things, to leave house and home and family, and complete and utter destruction in their wake? I can think of several possible reasons: *addiction to pornography *total lack of responsibility *an "it's all about me" mentality *mid-life crisis (whatever that is) *depression or unhappiness that causes them to search for something to fill the void *a lack of purpose in their lives *and above all, a life lived outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the only one who can make us whole, give us purpose and fill us up with His love, so that our love for our spouses and families does not grow cold.
Jesus warned that in the last days, people's love would grow cold: And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.
For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.
And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
For nation will rise against nation,and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes...
And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.
But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.
" (Matthew 24:4-7, 12-13) When "lawlessness" increases, people's love grows cold.
"Lawlessness" does not mean transgressing the laws of the land.
It's referring to when someone transgresses God's law.
If people do not walk with God and know His laws, they will not know when they transgress them.
But when they transgress them, their love grows cold.
Did you note that Jesus said "most" people's love will grow cold? That's a lot.
That's not some-it's most.
This is a natural law put in place by God.
It is not something you can fight; it is absolutely inevitable.
Look at the last sentence in the Scripture above: "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.
" The word "endures" is translated from the Greek word, "hupomeno;" from "hupo," which means "under," and "meno" which means "remain.
" Therefore, it means "remain under.
" Following this, then, the scriptural sentence should read, "But the one who remains under to the end, he shall be saved.
" What, then, should we "remain under" to be saved? God's law.
In essence, God's law is His word-the Bible.
There are many laws in the Bible, but you don't have to worry about finding them and following them.
It's really quite simple.
If we remain in His word-if we read it every day-then we remain under the protection of His word.
And because we know that God's word is "living and active," (Hebrews 4:12) then we can be assured that if we take His word to heart, then we take His love into our hearts as well.
This is absolute truth.
The thousands of men and women who are leaving their families because they "don't love them anymore" are not happier once they are "free," for they are not really free at all.
They are lost.
And they are in darkness.
And being lost in the dark is a very frightening place to be.
I pray that if you have left your family and are wandering in the darkness, you will go to Jesus and ask His forgiveness, and begin to read the Bible.
As you read, He will renew your love for your family.
In fact, He'll give you an even greater love than you had before.
If you are one of those who have been left by a spouse or a parent, please know that God is as near to you as your breath.
He loves you and will strengthen you and provide for you.
Look at this beautiful scripture, straight from the mouth (and the heart) of God: Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; Neither feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; But you will forget the shame of your youth, And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the Lord of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth.
" (Isaiah 54:4-5) Remain in God's word, and you will remain within His comfort, love and protection.