Truth vs. Myths

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
the plans of His heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom He has chosen as His heritage!

Psalm 33:10-12

What a deception the "population explosion" myth is!  I have read some very alarming statistics lately concerning our nation.  Here are some of them:

The number of cohabiting unmarried partners increased tenfold between 1960 and 2000. - U.S. Census Bureau. “America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2000.” 

The number of cohabiting unmarried partners increased by 88% between 1990 and 2007. - U.S. Census Bureau. “America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2007.”

The majority of couples marrying today cohabited first. - Bumpass, Larry and Lu, Hsien-Hen. 2000. "Trends in Cohabitation and Implications for Children's Family Contexts in the United States." Population Studies, 54: 29-41. 

The total fertility rate in the United States estimated for 2009 is 2.01 children per woman, which is below the replacement fertility rate of approximately 2.1. However, U.S. population growth  is among the highest in industrialized countries,  since the vast majority of these have below-replacement fertility rates and the U.S. has higher levels of immigration. The United States Census Bureau shows population increases ranging between 0.85% and 0.89% for the twelve-month periods ending in 2009. Nonetheless, though high by industrialized country standards, this is below the world average annual rate of 1.19%  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States)

Scary, huh?  Fewer weddings, more people living together, and fewer babies.  We are not replacing ourselves as a nation.  And what does this have to do with our Scriptures for today?  Much, I believe.  

Who is our god today?  Or should I say, what is our god today?  Is it the Lord?  If so, then why are we not as a nation abiding by His principles of right and wrong?  Why are we not "multiplying, and replenishing the earth?" (Genesis 9:7)  Some nations are having a difficult time finding wives for the men, because there is so little respect for women. As the older work force retires, there are few to take their place.  God has "brought to nothing the counsel of the nations and frustrated their plans." 

And yet for us who know Him, we may with confidence say, "For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.   He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord."  (Psalm 33:4-5)  We are not carried by the "counsel of the nations," which may or may not work.  We are carried in the arms of our God who created this world by His word and everyone in it by the breath of His mouth. (Psalm 33:6)

Let us pray for those who need Him so desperately,

Gloria