"Betrayal"

Betrayal is difficult to take. It leaves one hurting, numbed from head to toe! I can't think of anything more painful and destructive to one than being betrayed by a loved one. To sit across from a husband and wife and hear them speak of their mates unfaithfulness to them. To watch the faces, to hear the trembling voice and the tears flow freely. Parents sit speaking of their child they love so deeply and tell of their behavior that is destructive. The pain is so intense. When I see these situations, I can almost see God looking at us at times and saying, "You now understand some of My pain!"

We look at people like Uriah, a mighty soldier and leader of David's army. He was faithful, honest and obedient to his king. He was a trustworthy leader. I've often wondered what went through his mind when he found himself in the fiercest of battles, on the front line and suddenly watching his own men withdraw from him leaving him to be slaughtered. Betrayed by David, his own king. (II Sam. 11)

Betrayal is so hard to take. Her husband was convicted of a crime that he didn't commit. What they needed was a good lawyer but the cost was great. She took any small job she could find in the day, cleaned office buildings at night and if she had any spare days she would baby sit children. It took her three pain-staking years but she saved enough money to hire a good lawyer and got her husbands conviction overturned. The three difficult years had worn her down and the process took it's toll on her outer beauty. Six months later, her husband left her for another woman. She lay down, broken and betrayed!

God created us to have a relationship with Him, to love and cherish that relationship. It is a relationship to be blessed. God's whole creation was "very good." What did He get in return? BETRAYAL! God endured generation after generation trying to win us back and all He got was betrayal in return. Finally, He sent His heart in His own Son into our world of betrayal and He was murdered. Today, many make fun of God's pain, take His Son lightly and sneer at His mercy and grace. Oh how it must hurt to be betrayed by those who are loved so deeply. "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies." (Ezek. 18:32) BETRAYAL! What a sad commentary on our lives.