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Isaiah 37:3 "They said to him, 'Thus says Hezekiah, 'This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth.''"

 

What an image that is, of children coming to birth but there being no strength to bring them forth. It so exemplifies the combination of exhaustion and indifference that comes when we have pursued all the alternatives to God and are left with nothing but emptiness. Why would we want to bring children into that kind of world? Why would we want work for the future, their future, when everything seems so pointless? This is where we end up when we selfishly pursue lives apart from God. We find ourselves lacking any meaning, and so we don't see the point in bringing forth new life, nor do we have the strength to do so.

 

We also are in a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace, and many don't have the desire or strength to bring children into this world. Our culture of contraception and abortion makes it much easier for them not to, while contributing to our ennui and despair along with our need for rebuke. We have greatly strayed from the right path and are suffering for it. God is still giving us time to turn back to Him. I pray that we all do, and that we joyfully welcome the next generation into a world that knows God's love.