Betrayal

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver Him (Jesus) over to you?" And then they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Him" (Matthew 26:14-16).

Betrayal. Someone once trusted now becomes the predator, seeking opportunities to lie, steal, and destroy. Each of us has encountered betrayal and some of us are still living in that space. Whether it's been days or years, for some reason we cannot surrender the pain another caused us. The desire to let go clings to us, but we wear the betrayal like a blanket, protecting ourselves from ever letting it happen again. We distance ourselves. We isolate from life.

What if, for just a moment, we reflect on Jesus. While he walked the earth, He did no wrong. His life was pure. His love was deep. Yet, there stood a man named Judas, aligning himself with jealous and evil men.

"What will you give me if I deliver Him (Jesus) over to you?" No longer was Judas considering the idea of betraying Jesus, rather, he had become a viper himself, ready to strike, to kill. He stayed close to Jesus, assessing His every move, planning His demise.

Jesus, the Savior of the world, was betrayed. He was delivered into the hands of His enemies, not for what He had done, but for who He was. We may not realize what a pivotal role Judas played in our salvation. God allowed Judas to betray Jesus. This very act propelled Jesus' path to the cross. The abuse. The pain. The suffering. The loss.

Judas did not comprehend how his betrayal of Jesus would change the world. He did not understand that his actions aided in our salvation. Judas's betrayal, which he meant for evil, God instead used for good. Our good. Our lives changed when Jesus hung on the cross, taking upon Himself all our sins, and reconciling us to God. Judas's betrayal. Jesus' sacrifice. God's redeeming love. Our salvation.

When we come to a point in our lives when we no longer have the energy or mental capacity to try to make sense of a person's betrayal, that is the moment to finally release the pain, the confusion, the loss- completely surrender. We cannot carry those thoughts and emotions anymore. During our surrender, God replaces the heaviness with hope and purpose. So, let go. Do it again, and again, and again. Let's stand on the promises of God and free ourselves from carrying a burden that is no longer ours to carry. Let's do it together!

Prayer: Lord, Father in Heaven, You see all and You know all. You have the power to change lives and relieve the pain of betrayal. We pray that You step into this moment, remove the barriers that are keeping us from moving out of this space. We no longer want to be stuck ruminating on what another has done to us. Fill us with Your peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding, and guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Renew our thoughts and may we surrender each moment to You. Remind us that Your betrayal led to our salvation. In Your great goodness, gently carry us out of this space and into the renewal of our hearts and minds. In Jesus' name, Amen.