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Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I will kiss, that is he. Seize him, and lead him away safely." When he had come, immediately he came to him, and said, "Rabbi! Rabbi!" and kissed him. They laid their hands on him, and seized him. Mark 14:44–46 WEB.

The evening light had faded, and it was now dark. Jesus and the unknowing disciples had finished their last supper on Earth. There had been a shadow of death and betrayal covering this otherwise lovely family meal. They sang a hymn together, then went out to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus often did.

Judas Iscariot, an apostle of Jesus who ate with them at supper and dipped his bread in the bowl together with Jesus, now showed up with an armed group of men to arrest Him. Their close friend had suddenly become their enemy. Judas walked over and kissed Jesus on the cheek to let the guards know who they were to arrest. His betrayal hurt.

One of the twelve apostles Jesus had hand-picked out of thousands betrayed Him. Yet, Jesus had a purpose, and Judas played an ugly part in bringing that about. It wasn't pretty, but like many things, it brought God's will to pass.

Jesus took our sin away on the cross, and He suffered for it so that we would not have to, but other things that He went through while on Earth were an example for us. Betrayal is something that most of us will experience at some point, and it always hurts when those who were your friend become your enemy.

If this happens to you, do what Jesus did: Stay focused on your purpose, and forgive the betrayer as quickly as possible. It does not mean that you have to trust them anymore, for trust is earned. Don't delay God's work and get sidetracked or filled with bitterness over the incident, even though it cuts you like a knife. God will take care of the betrayer in due course Himself. For, oh yes, we reap what we sow.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know that You have a plan and a purpose for me. I choose to follow You today. Help me see past the wrongs in my life and focus on what You are doing instead. Please give me the grace to get through this day. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: Good morning! Today (9/24/24), we are planning on doing some work with our servers that will require the website to be down for, Lord willing, a short time. We are shifting them to another part of the office, so are not expecting any lengthy downtime. Thank you for your understanding, patience and prayers!