The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case to determine if it is constitutional for a state to amend its constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The court is expected to issue its ruling at the end of June as it closes out this term.  It is also expected that the court will, in that ruling, force same-sex marriage on the entire nation.

After the court agreed to hear this case, a federal judge struck down the marriage amendment passed by the people of Alabama. The Supreme Court by a 7-2 vote declined to stay that decision, paving the way for same-sex marriages to begin in that state.  If there was even a possibility that the Supreme Court’s impending decision would support marriage, why not stay the decision of the lower court?  Such a decision by the Supreme Court would nullify the very marriages they allowed to happen by not staying the lower court decision.

After officials in Alabama resisted the implementation of a court order to start issuing same-sex marriage licenses, Justice Ginsberg did an interview with Bloomberg.  She was asked if some parts of the country wouldn’t be ready to accept same-sex marriage if the court’s decision forced it on the nation.  She responded, “I think it’s doubtful that it wouldn’t be accepted.  The change in people’s attitudes on that issue has been enormous…So I think it would not take a large adjustment.”

People on the left and the right were shocked by Justice Ginsberg speaking so openly about a case that is pending before the court.  There was little doubt in anyone’s mind what her opinion on the topic was, but Justices always try to at least appear to have not decided a case before it is heard.  Her responses in the interview clearly signal how she believes the court will rule.

This is an issue on which the American people remain very divided and Justice Ginsberg is wrong in her assessment that it will not “take a large adjustment” for people to accept same-sex marriage.  Especially as people run up against the problems it will create, particularly the challenges it will bring to our religious freedom.

Already we have seen dozens of business owners sued for refusing to participate in a same-sex ceremony.  Many have been forced to close their businesses and this is only the beginning.  Barronelle Stutzman has been a respected florist in Washington State for over 30 years.  When she refused to provide flower arrangements for a same-sex wedding she was hauled into court, not only by the couple, but also by the State’s Attorney General.  Not content to just go after the assets of her florist business, the Attorney General asked for and received permission from the court to go after her personal assets as well.  She now stands to lose her home, her life savings, everything she owns.

There is also a large and quickly growing number of people who have lost their jobs because they believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.  Kelvin Cochran was fired from his position as the Fire Chief of Atlanta because a book he wrote for the Christian men’s group at his church.  Fox Sports fired Craig James when it was learned he expressed his support for marriage during his race for the U.S. Senate 18 months earlier.  Neither man was ever even accused of anything improper on the job.  They were terminated solely for having expressed their personal beliefs in their private lives.

If the Supreme Court forces same-sex marriage on the nation, it will elevate gender identity and sexual identity to the same level as race in all 50 states.  Within a very short period of time, your church will no longer be able to refuse to host a same-sex wedding any more than it could refuse to do so on the basis of race.  Regardless of his personal beliefs, your pastor will be forced to perform same-sex ceremonies.  We already have one case in Idaho where two ministers are facing jail time and exorbitant fines for refusing to perform a same-sex ceremony.  Any resistance to same-sex marriage, anywhere in the nation, will be crushed.

There is little a private citizen can do to influence the Supreme Court.  We cannot send a letter or petition to the Justices as we could an elected official.  Since the Justices are appointed for life, we cannot vote them out of office.  There is one thing that we can do that can influence the opinion of the court.  We can pray for God to direct the hearts of the Justices.  Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.”  God is able to direct the heart of even the most liberal Supreme Court Justice.  Christians must unite in prayer, asking in faith for Him to direct the hearts of the Justices to protect His institution of marriage.

Please make the decision today to pray regularly for our Supreme Court Justices and for this case in particular.  Encourage your friends, your family, your church, and any Christians you know to make this a serious matter of prayer.