Once upon a time there was a mother cat named, "Luna". Luna had had kittens and was a very good momma cat, caring for her wee ones well. They were nourished from their suckling and grew to be of an age to be given away. So they were.
Oh the agony of loss for Luna. She prowled up and down the streets and alleyways of the neighborhood, crying and crying, and in search of her babies. Finally, she had to be put away, confined to a cage and spoken softly to; even apologized to by her human.
Her human, in turn, felt terrible. She did not know that an animal could love her babies so much and miss them so unconsolingly when they were gone. Luna's human could understand it though, as she too had once lost a baby. So the two commiserated.
Yet, the human felt like a betrayer. Here she was the one supposed to look out for her feline friend, yet she unwittingly committed a seeming disservice to her furry beast.
Betrayal.
How awful is that!
How dark and devastating!
David the King of Israel and Judah knew what that was like a few times over. One of the worst ones was when his son Absalom won the hearts of the people away from his father. On top of that, we read in Psalm 55,
"If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it...But it is you, ...my companion, my close friend, with whom he had once enjoyed sweet fellowship as they walked with the throng at the house of God" (Psalm 55:12 &13 NIV).
David's so called, "friend," Ahithophel, had betrayed him and gone over to Absalom's camp and plotted against him! (2 Samuel 15:12)
David did turn to the One who would never forsake Him. He knew what to do,
"Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you..." (Psalm 55:22 NIV).
He goes on to say,
"...but as for me, I trust in You." (Psalm 55:23 NIV)
We expect insults and vindictiveness from an enemy but from a close friend?!
It surely hurts us to the core when someone who is "supposed" to love us and show it in kind, loving and caring gestures, does not. This is not even, necessarily talking about over the top expectations. Just a general everyday way of showing care from friends, spouses, family, extended family. Those harsh, sarcastic words and innuendos or actions of someone who once upon a time, had loved you and even now believes he/she "still does", commits the unpardonable, and what we had least expected. Physical, emotional, mental distress ensues in the aftermath.
Likely we've all had that happen to us at one time or another to varying degrees. Perhaps it goes on continuously?
People jokingly say, "with friends like that, who needs enemies"?
Yes, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ knows exactly how that feels.
He was betrayed by one who was supposed to be his friend, even one from his close circle; what ultimate betrayal! Judas betrayed Jesus out of greed for money. For money!
Yet, because of that, Jesus bought our pardon.
"When we survey that wondrous cross on which the Lord of glory died" is a line of a hymn, written by one Sir Isaac Watts, we often sing on a Lord's Day. I had one friend once say we should not sing this song. Why? He said because the cross was anything but wondrous! Well, for Jesus, it certainly was not wondrous. However, for us we cannot go on without that unsurpassed sacrificial act of supreme love.
On this Lord's Day, let us remember that those awful moments when our blessed Redeemer, Jesus, endured through it all. Even God His Father had to turn away His face as Jesus bore the price for our sins'.
"When we survey that wondrous cross on which the Lord of glory died" is a line of a hymn, written by one Sir Isaac Watts, we often sing on a Lord's Day. I had one friend once say we should not sing this song. Why? He said because the cross was anything but wondrous! Well, for Jesus, it certainly was not wondrous. However, for us we cannot go on without that unsurpassed sacrificial act of supreme love.
On this Lord's Day, let us remember that those awful moments when our blessed Redeemer, Jesus, endured through it all. Even God His Father had to turn away His face as Jesus bore the price for our sins'.
Pass the bread and cup of wine; partake and drink in thankful remembrance. Praise God that despite the treachery Judas unleashed at Satan's goading, God turned it into something exceedingly and stupendously wonderful for mankind.
Salvation.
Betrayal pain birthed the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thank-You, Father God. Thank-You, Jesus for enduring for us.
In Your most precious Name Lord Jesus, I give you praise and thanks.
~ERC April 2020~
Based on Psalm 55
On That Same Night Lord Jesus as sung by Alan Parks
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