Imogen Campbell
Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me. Psalm 41:9, NIV
“Everyone turned against Jesus. Though the kiss was planted by Judas, the betrayal was committed by all. Every person took a step, but no one took a stand. As Jesus left the garden he walked alone. The world had turned against him. He was betrayed.” Excerpt from Max Lucado’s "And the angels were silent".
Betrayal stings so much because often it is at the hands of those you trust and/or love the most.
Family and friends let you down; they say and do things that cut you to the quick. People you once regarded as friends no longer give you the time of day. Fellow Christians behave in ways irreconcilable with the truth of the Word. You reel in disbelief. Surely, they will apologise? Crickets.
Lucado expressed it well, “It’s a weapon found only in the hands of one you love. … It’s a violation of trust, an inside job.” In a professional context, it comes from those beaming with saccharine smiles, until you feel the agony of betrayal. Stolen contracts, distorted facts, ghastly acts. You did not see it coming.
How do you protect yourself from the stinging pain? Do you live life waiting for the inevitable: people are sure to let you down? Or is there another way?
None of us is perfect, all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Perhaps, people falling short should be expected. Since that day in the garden, human brokenness has become the norm, not the exception.
Jesus knew it, and according to John 2:24-25 he would not entrust himself to people, for he knew what was in the heart of men. It did not stop him from loving us, though.
May his example entreat us to entrust ourselves to God and not man. The disciples of old encountered the Lion of Judah and put their faith in him. “Something happens to a man when he stands within inches of the Judean Lion. Something happens when he hears the roar, when he can feel the Lion’s breath, ” Lucado writes.
Like them, may God help us to find the strength to be more than we ever imagined, because we, too, have made him our Saviour!
Prayer: Lord, we are so grateful that you modelled sacrificial love for us. When others sin against us, help us extend forgiveness the way you always do. Amen.
Imogen Campbell
Selfs my boesemvriend op wie ek vertrou het, wat altyd by my geëet het, het my in die rug gesteek. Psalm 41:10, 1983-vertaling
“Everyone turned against Jesus. Though the kiss was planted by Judas, the betrayal was committed by all. Every person took a step, but no one took a stand. As Jesus left the garden he walked alone. The world had turned against him. He was betrayed.” Uittreksel uit Max Lucado se "And the angels were silent." [Almal het teen Jesus gedraai. Alhoewel Judas Hom gesoen het, is die verraad deur almal gepleeg. Almal het 'n tree gegee, maar niemand het standpunt ingeneem nie. Toe Jesus die tuin verlaat het, was Hy alleen. Die wêreld het teen Hom gedraai. Hy is verraai. – vrye vertaling]
Verraad maak so seer, want dikwels word dit gepleeg deur diegene wat ons die meeste vertrou en of liefhet.
Familie en vriende laat jou in die steek; hulle sê en doen dinge wat jou diep seermaak. Mense wat jy as vriende geag het, ignoreer jou heeltemal. Mede-Christene gedra hulle op 'n manier onversoenbaar met die waarheid van die Woord. Jy steier in ongeloof. Sekerlik sal hulle om verskoning vra? Dawerende stilte.
Lucado stel dit so: “It’s a weapon found only in the hands of one you love. … It’s a violation of trust, an inside job.” [Dit is 'n wapen wat slegs gevind word in die hande van die een wat jy liefhet ... Dit is 'n vertrouensbreuk, 'n werk van binne. – vrye vertaling] In 'n professionele konteks kom dit dikwels van diegene met geveinsde, soet glimlagte, totdat jy die pyn van verraad beleef. Gesteelde kontrakte, verdraaide feite, gruwelike dade. Jy het dit nie sien kom nie.
Hoe beskerm jy jouself van hierdie pyn? Leef jy maar wagtende vir die onvermydelike: mense gaan jou definitief in die steek laat. Of is daar 'n ander manier?
Nie een van ons is volmaak nie, almal het gesondig, en het nie deel aan die heerlikheid van God nie. (Romeine 3:23) Miskien is is dit te verwagte van mense met hulle tekortkominge. Sedert daardie dag in die tuin het menslike gebrokenheid die norm geword, nie die uitsondering nie.
Jesus het dit geweet, en volgens Johannes 2:24-25 het Hy hom nie op mense verlaat nie, want Hy het die harte van die mense geken. Dit het Hom egter nie gekeer om ons lief te hê nie.
Mag sy voorbeeld ons dring om ons aan God en nie aan mense toe te vertrou nie. Die dissipels van ouds het die Leeu van Juda ontmoet en hulle geloof in Hom geplaas. "Something happens to a man when he stands within inches of the Judean Lion. Something happens when he hears the roar, when he can feel the Lion’s breath,” skryf Lucado. [Iets gebeur met 'n mens wanneer hy so naby die Leeu van Juda staan. Iets gebeur wanneer hy die brul hoor, wanneer hy die Leeu se asem voel. – vrye vertaling]
Soos die geval met die dissipels, mag God ons ook help om die krag te vind om meer te wees as wat ons ons ooit kon indink, want Hy is ook ons Verlosser.
Gebed: Here, ons is so dankbaar dat U aan ons wys wat offervaardige liefde is. Wanneer ander teen ons sondig, help ons om hulle te vergewe soos U altyd doen. Amen
Imogen Campbell
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2:15, NIV
Before the triumph of the cross, Jesus underwent haematohidrosis, literally sweating blood, as he knelt in prayer before the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew what was coming, was willing, but prayed that perhaps the cup could be taken away.
I cannot imagine any human being anticipating a death that would come in such an agonising way. It is especially haunting as Jesus was perfect – completely sinless. Even Pilate understood that envy was the motive behind those baying for his blood.
In "And the angels were silent", Max Lucado writes, “He knows what it is like to be plotted against … He knows what it is like to be torn between two desires … And, perhaps most of all, he knows what it’s like to beg God to change his mind and to hear God say so gently, but firmly, “No”.
We would all prefer the amazing mountaintop experiences of life where victory lies certain, but it does not reflect reality. The valleys can sometimes be thrust upon us out of nowhere. News of a car accident, a diagnosis that leaves us reeling, all manner of disasters really.
Hope feels useless; prayer seems to go unanswered. The stranglehold of Satan seems unwieldy. Fear has coiled itself all around our hearts. We can scarcely bring ourselves to believe in miracles, or surrender to God. Our focus: on the scariest thoughts racing through our troubled minds.
Yet, the God-man himself experienced the valley of darkness, in a way none of us are called upon to do. Knowing all he had to endure, in fulfilment of the very hour he had come to earth for, he held on to purpose. He remained unswerving in his devotion to God and the vision of our redemption.
That day at Calvary, all seemed lost. Satan may have thought that he had secured the victory, but God was not done yet. Resurrection Sunday was sure to put Satan’s nose out of joint.
Maybe it is time for us to reconsider our insurmountable troubles or obstacles? All may not yet be lost, perhaps it is time to pray about it one more time. God still triumphs. Miracles are still for today.
Prayer: Father God, you allowed your Son to suffer so that we may be saved. Thank you for the cross and all the victories it has ensured since. Amen.
Imogen Campbell
Nadat Hy hierdeur die gesagvoerders en maghebbers ontwapen het, het Hy hulle in die openbaar tot skande gemaak toe Hy hulle in sy triomftog meegevoer het. Kolossense 2:15, 2020-vertaling
Voor die oorwinning van die kruis het Jesus letterlik bloed gesweet toe Hy in die tuin van Getsemane voor die Vader in gebed gekniel het. Hy het geweet wat op Hom wag, was gewillig, maar het tog gevra dat die beker miskien by Hom kon verbygaan.
Ek kan my nie indink dat enige mens 'n dood sou verwag wat so pynlik is nie. Dit is veral verskriklik want Jesus was volmaak – totaal sonder sonde. Selfs Pilatus het verstaan dat afguns die rede was vir diegene wat Jesus dood wou hê.
In "And the angels were silent", skryf Max Lucado: "He knows what it is like to be plotted against … He knows what it is like to be torn between two desires … And, perhaps most of all, he knows what it’s like to beg God to change his mind and to hear God say so gently, but firmly, “No”. [Hy weet wat dit is as daar 'n komplot teen jou gesmee word ... Hy weet wat dit is om tussen twee begeertes verskeur te wees ... En miskien, bo alles, weet Hy wat dit is om God te smeek om van plan te verander en dan te hoor hoe God saggies, maar beslis, nee sê. – vrye vertaling]
Ons almal verkies daardie ongelooflike "bergtopondervindings" van die lewe wanneer oorwinning so seker lyk, maar dit is nie die realiteit nie. Die "valleie" verskyn soms van nêrens af nie – nuus van 'n motorongeluk, 'n diagnose wat ons plat slaan, eintlik alle soorte rampe en ellende.
Hoop voel dan nutteloos; gebede blyk onbeantwoord te wees. Die wurggreep van Satan is onhanteerbaar. Angs oorheers ons harte. Ons kan ons skaars daartoe bring om in wonderwerke te glo, of ons aan God oor te gee. Ons bly fokus op die vreesaanjaendste gedagtes wat deur ons koppe maal.
Tog, die God-mens het self die vallei van duisternis beleef, op 'n manier wat nie een van ons geroep is om dit te beleef nie. Jesus het geweet wat Hy moes verduur om dit waarvoor Hy na die wêreld gekom het, te vervul. Hy het doelgerig gebly. Hy was onwankelbaar in sy toewyding aan God en aan die visie van ons verlossing.
Daardie dag op Golgota het alles verlore gelyk. Satan mag dalk gedink het hy het die oorwinning behaal, maar God was nog nie klaar nie. Opstandingsondag het verseker Satan die aapstuipe laat kry.
Miskien is dit tyd dat ons ons onoorkomelike probleme of hindernisse heroorweeg. Miskien is alles nie verlore nie en is dit tyd om nog 'n keer daaroor te bid. God oorwin steeds. Wonderwerke is ook vir vandag.
Gebed: Hemelse Vader, U het u Seun toegelaat om te ly sodat ons gered kan word. Dankie daarvoor en vir al die oorwinnings wat danksy die kruis behaal is. Amen
Ruanne van Zyl
Wees veral versigtig met wat in jou hart omgaan, want dit bepaal jou hele lewe. Spreuke 4:23, 1983-vertaling
Die hart waarvan hierdie vers praat, is nie net emosies nie, maar die sentrum van ons gedagtes, begeertes en motiewe. Alles wat ons doen, begin hier. Daarom sê God ons moet dit “veral versigtig” bewaak.
Ons harte word daagliks beïnvloed deur wat ons sien, hoor en oor dink. Negatiewe woorde, vergelyking met ander, vrees en bitterheid kan stil-stil wortelskiet. As ons dit nie aanspreek nie, begin dit ons houding en optrede beheer. 'n Onbewaakte hart lei tot 'n onrustige lewe.
Om jou hart te bewaak, beteken nie om koud of afgesluit te wees nie. Dit beteken om doelbewus te kies wat jy toelaat om jou binneste te vorm. Dit vra dat ons gereeld ons gedagtes aan God se waarheid toets. Wanneer leuens soos “ek is nie goed genoeg nie” of “niks sal verander nie” opkom, moet ons dit vervang met wat God sê.
'n Gesonde hart bring lewe. Dit lei tot geduld, liefde en wysheid in moeilike situasies. Wanneer ons hart vol vrede is, reageer ons anders op druk en konflik. Die kwaliteit van ons lewe word dus direk beïnvloed deur die toestand van ons binneste wêreld.
God is nie net geïnteresseerd in ons dade nie, maar in wat dit dryf. Wanneer ons Hom toelaat om ons harte te reinig en te vernuwe, verander Hy ons van binne na buite.
Gebed: Here, wys my wat in my hart nie van U af kom nie. Help my om my gedagtes te vul met u waarheid en my hart te bewaak sodat my lewe U eer. Amen.