A cut that runs deep into the soul, hard to band-aide. A pain that only God can erase. What is it you ask? Betrayal! Today I decided to read the book of Philemon. Paul encouraged Philemon through a letter (book of Philemon) to forgive and accept Onesimus who was once his slave and ran away. Perhaps he stole his money bag when he ran. Whatever Onesimus did he offended him
As my husband says the Bible gives us mainly headlines. Just maybe that is God’s way of encouraging us to dig deeper into what is being said. After all life is never what it appears. There’s always more to the eye then what we see. Unfortunately slavery was a common thing in that day though God did not agree with it. But the message from Paul was not on slavery but one of forgiveness so let’s get back to that message.
On reading about Philemon’s story I thought of others on the walls of the halls of betrayal and what the results were. Jesus was betrayed by Judas which led to his death, though it was God’s will for his only Son to die for mankind. Still this was one who ate with him, sat under his teaching yet betrayed him. Then there was Joseph who was betrayed by his brothers and sent into Egypt in chains, a slave until God delivered him and raised him to the second in command of Egypt.
However God surprised me this morning when he brought one to me that I never saw as one who was betrayed, but nonetheless was and that my friend is Esther. Esther was betrayed by her own husband, the King. Unintentionally of course for he didn’t know she was of Jewish ascent. He didn’t know who she was before he married her. For under the counsel of Mordecai she never revealed her Jewish background until it was a matter of life or death for her people.
In the last example it was unintentional but just the same it was betrayal. Did Esther feel that sting when she found out that her husband trusted and confided in a snake like Haman? One who had much hatred towards the Jews. Not to mention though her husband didn’t know she was a Jew he agreed to have them killed. It wasn’t until he realized his edict would have included his beloved bride that he had it stopped.
Jesus never promised us we wouldn’t get hurt in this life but he did promise to pick us back up and heal our wounds. Wounds of betrayal run deep and only God can heal them!