New Lows In A Culture Only Dimly Aware Of How Dark It Has Become

I just saw an ad on YouTube that revolted me. It wasn't difficult to confirm via Google that I'm not the first to have noted that it had searingly obvious sexual sadomasochistic innuendos. This article notes...

"In one spot for Devour, which is aimed at men aged 25-35 and has a marketing campaign rolling out Monday, a boss finds his employee having an intimate moment with his lunch, which the excited man gives a sexy slap with his fork. The brand's suggestive tagline and campaign name is "Food You Want to Fork."

Of course a part of me feels I am giving life to this sickness by including the above quote here in this blog. That said, what disgusts me now will soon be as endearingly quaint (at least by way of comparison with the advertising filth that is yet to come) as the first marriage bed did when it was first permitted to be seen in a television sitcom a few decades ago.

At some point, one keeps arriving at the naive conclusion that "surely the bottom is near?" It's not. Just you wait, Henry Higgins. Just you wait. There is no bottom. It's filth. All the way down.

But I don't want to end this reflection on this note. The above is what Satan would have for us, but God has not given up on the human race yet. In fact, I found myself reaching for a verse and quickly realized the one I wanted hails from the book of Romans.

How fitting! Paul began his epistle to the Romans with a grave indictment no less somber than my own.

Romans 1:18-24 (excerpted)
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness... Their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools... Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

Yes, America may be reaching for new lows, but we have not yet caught up with the depths of darkness plumbed by ancient Rome. Not yet. But we will. And therefore we should, along with Paul, remember the hope we have in Christ. So let us not dwell on the dark assessments of Chapter 1 but rather cling to the promises we find in Chapter 8.

Romans 8:18-19
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

Yes, times are dark, and growing darker still, at an ever increasing pace. The pangs of labor grow sharp. But one day Jesus Christ our Lord will be revealed. Let us be shown on that day to have carried the weight of his glory within us.