DO YOU KNOW THE SHEPHERD?

BETRAYALThe Upward Look, by Jon Forrest Betrayal There is not a more bitter feeling on earth than the one that comes when the closest of friends or a family member emotionally stabs you in the back. When the one person who should have your wellbeing foremost in his/her mind turns on you and throws you to the wolves, the pain travels to the innermost part of your psyche. Such betrayal has led to lifelong vendettas that resulted in debris fields of wounded and wrecked lives. Lifelong wars have been fought by the closest of friends and relatives. Often, the ones who are targeted for injury by revenge are not the only ones who receive the devastation. Everyone around them is torn asunder as collateral damage. You’ve seen it; two siblings who refuse to speak for the rest of their lives over the division of their parent’s estate, or once best friends who now take every opportunity to tear down the reputation of each other. Such wounds spawn physical and emotional violence for a lifetime. They cause words that pour forth from the cesspool of nastiness that takes over the mind of the betrayed. There has never been a more bitter response to such betrayal as when the perception has been that one was betrayed, stabbed in the back, thrown under the bus or left holding the bag by our loving heavenly Father. Yes, there have been times when people have felt as if God turned his back on them. Where was God when my spouse got sick and died? Where was God when my mother’s boyfriend was molesting me or my siblings? Where was God when my child was struck by a car and killed? Where was God when I lost my job, my house, my car, my reputation and more? JUST WHERE WAS GOD in the most difficult times of my life? Does God betray his people when life goes sour? Jesus was betrayed into the hands of the evil religious people for crucifixion by one of his closest friends, Judas, and felt betrayed by his heavenly Father when he cried out from the cross, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” One of God’s greatest apostles, Paul, prayed three times that God would remove his (unspecified) thorn in the flesh, but God did not speak until the third time, only to announce, “My grace is sufficient for you!” However, neither Jesus nor Paul turned in bitterness to God. Jesus embraced his cross because he knew that God’s plan was to save the world by turning his back on his only sinless Son in order to make a way of escape from eternal punishment for their sins. Paul accepted God’s refusal to heal him for the sake of his own betterment to keep him from the danger of arrogance after taking part in so many supernatural visions from God. Joseph, the 11th son of Jacob experienced betrayal from his jealous brothers who sold him into slavery and pretended that his father’s favorite son had been slaughtered by a wild beast. When he continued to trust God and it seemed God was about to rescue him from his slavery, his hopes were continually dashed by set back after set back. He could have easily rejected God as unjust and a God who betrayed his faithfulness over and over. But, he didn’t let his faith waiver. He kept obeying God and serving with tremendous integrity and faith year after year, setback after setback, betrayal after seeming betrayal. But, when all was said and done, he learned that God actually had a plan to use him to save his people and to honor him in ways he never thought possible. If you think God is not there. If you think He has betrayed you. If you think God will never allow you to “catch a break,” just wait! He has plans for you that you do not know. He is watching you and protecting your eternal life! The day will come when the entirety of his plan will be revealed and you will know that God has had your back all along! This Sunday, Josh McVey will bring a message about the life of Joseph from Genesis 37 – 46 and Psalm 23 titled Rising from the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Plan to come and find comfort and encouragement from this message from God’s Word. Faithful with you, Jon

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