In the midst of the great news stories of last week: the lowering of interest rates, the thrashing of the West Indies at cricket, the enlightenment of Wendell and the election of a new Prime Minister of Israel (which could seriously affect the future of world peace) the world was rocked by the sudden announcement of the end of Tom and Nicole's marriage. One British journalist described this as being nearly as significant as a royal divorce.

The news came as a terrible shock to almost everyone. Throughout the eleven years of their marriage they had always appeared to be devoted to each other, and presumably in love. Although they had not been able to have children of their own, they seemed to be deeply devoted to their two adopted children. They were attractive, extremely talented, very wealthy, although they did not seem to flaunt their wealth, very popular, and with a strong attachment to Australia.

Here, in many people’s eyes was a dream family. Admittedly, Tom had been married before, but now he had our Nicole and the future was rosy. In a world where so many marriages are falling apart, here was a family to look up to for inspiration and hope.

But, suddenly, the dream has been shattered! Tom and Nicole have separated and Tom filed for divorce, citing undisclosed "Irreconcilable Differences". And two young children, already suffering the trauma of rejection that accompanies adoption, face a further trauma of the shattering of their secure family and an uncertain future as emotional footballs for two grown-ups who can’t get on with one another!

The breakdown of marriage has reached epidemic proportions in the Western World. In many countries about one in two marriages break down. But this statistic does not take in the many more ‘de facto’ relationships where the couples are too afraid, or too casual, to make a commitment.

Twenty or thirty years ago, statistics showed that Christian marriages were much more stable than non-Christian. Those with a Christian faith were considered to have better resources and a deeper level of commitment than those with no faith. But such is no longer the case The level of breakdown of Christian marriage is on par with the National average.

We have yet to see the long-term social cost of this. Occasionally, as on the central coast last week, one of the deep problems comes to the surface, with tragic consequences. But, I believe, there are many, many more tragedies beneath the surface. Not only are there adults with torn edges, for the breaking of the marriage bonds leaves us spiritually and emotionally wounded, but there are many more children growing up without the security of a stable family. This is a social "time bomb" that one day will explode.

I see so many emotionally damaged adults now, who show the lack of adequate fathering, even in stable homes. What the future holds for these young children, the victims of their parents’ "irreconcilable differences", is too horrible to contemplate. Our ‘civilised’ society has been ‘sowing to the wind’ in its loose attitude to marriage. A day is coming when it will ‘reap the whirlwind’.

There is no easy answer to all this. Any attempt to retighten the divorce laws would be like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. There will only be a real change when there is a change in people’s hearts. "Irreconcilable differences" are not recognised in the Bible. As recipients of God’s grace we are commanded to love unconditionally, even our enemies! Moving in that love we are to do everything we can, even sacrificing our own desires, to seek reconciliation.

We need to take seriously God’s statement that He "hates divorce". {Mal. 2:16}. We need to rediscover what commitment means, both in our human relationships and in our relationship to God. We need to consider carefully what it means to bind ourselves to another person ‘for better or for worse, for richer for poorer, till death us do part’! We need to work through Jesus’ teaching about love. And we need to offer love and hope to the many out there whose dreams have been shattered.