Stay in God's Grip!
  • Home
  • Todd's Blog
  • Remember Me When
  • Contact

 While in God's Grip!

Lent... Betrayal

4/17/2019

 
Picture
After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me."
~ John 13:21

I have to believe that the disciples were also the friends of Jesus.  Walking dusty roads, sharing meals, and sleeping under the stars are experiences  that Jesus and his followers shared together.  The relationships after three years of ministry must have been close.  Among those friends was Judas.  As I spent time reading about Judas this morning, I noticed in the notes about the text that the Greek word for "betraying," is "someone who hands the other over to suffering."

As much as I hate to admit it, there is an element of "traitor," in each of us.  We live in a world that makes the desire to be better, first, or successful, more important than caring for one another.  It has become so much a part of our daily life that we don't even notice when we are betraying someone for the sake of getting ahead. 

When we are willing to confess that we have handed someone over, or betrayed them, so that they experience suffering, even when it goes against our best intentions, then something unique happens.  It is in these experiences that we can address our own pain and begin to understand the need to forgive those who have betrayed us as well.  

I can't imagine the look that Jesus gave Judas when he shared, "Go and do what you must," knowing that the betrayal would lead to real suffering, and even his death.  The heartbreak of a friend, betraying him, must have just been so overwhelming.

Our need to recognize the suffering that we have caused others leads us to a place during Holy Week that we can seek to be forgiven and to forgive others.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2019

Comments are closed.

    Author

    Rev. G. Todd Williams is the author of the book, "Remember Me When..." (Chalice Press, August 2021) and is a former hospice chaplain.

    He holds a Master of Divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and currently is serving Webster Presbyterian Church, Webster, Texas as their Interim Senior Minister.

    Archives

    May 2025
    September 2024
    February 2024
    May 2023
    February 2023
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Todd's Blog
  • Remember Me When
  • Contact