Betrayal

Thursday, September 22, 2022

403 files. Four Hundred and Three! In the last four weeks, besides teaching at CMI and helping teachers with little projects, I have been scanning old files into the computer. Hours and hours of scanning files. By the time I go home for the evening, all I can think about is files.

Once in a while there is a name I recognize, someone I know, someone I have met, or someone I heard of through others. If it is a person I don’t have contact with, I wonder what that person is up to. What are they doing now? Are they still with CEF? Are they still working with children?

A few days ago, I came across a picture of a guy wearing a cap. He looked like a fun, friendly guy. Then, looking in his file to see where he was from, I realized I knew that guy from years ago. He was a fun, friendly guy. Then I wondered if he was still around. Last time I saw him, he was struggling with some disease and was losing the battle.

Then the testimonies. Long ones, short ones, hand written ones, computer written ones, even typed ones. The temptation is to read them all, but as it is, I only catch a word here or there. It would take too much time to even read just a few of them. Moreover, it wasn’t my privilege to read them. My job was just to scan them and go on to the next.

For the most part, it’s a bunch of names of those who may or may not be involved in Children’s ministries… Lots and lots of names.

Yet it’s hard to get anything done at night. My brain is tired and it’s difficult to think of anything but files. At least, that was true of the first two weeks. They were the worst. Furthermore, all I dreamt about was scanning files. Piles and piles of files. My desk was overflowing with files! It got to be I was doing files for everyone, not just the students. There were files from friends and acquaintances who have nothing to do with the mission or the Institute. Strange. Crazy dreams.

Crazier still, one night I dreamt I was doing the file of Judas Iscariot. Stamped across his application documents, in huge, bold, red letters, were the words: BETRAYED CHRIST!! I woke up thinking, where on earth did that come from?!?

Betrayal is a pretty powerful word. Merriam-Webster says it is a “violation of a person’s trust or confidence, of a moral standard, etc.”

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss: A sign of affection and loyalty. If you have ever experienced betrayal by someone you thought was a friend, it is a devastating thing. I know. Still, I can’t comprehend how Jesus, who knows all things, felt at that moment of Judas’ betrayal.

We look at Judas with horror and condemnation, but forget, we all nailed Jesus to the cross. We are all guilty of betrayal because of our sin. It was sin that sent Jesus to the cross. Our sin. The Bible says there are none righteous, not a single one (Romans 3:10). So, think about that for a moment. If God had files on each one of us, in huge, bold, red lettering would be the word, “GUILTY” written across the top!

But isn’t that why He died? 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” Because of our guilt, He died to bring us to God! Wow! Sin separated us from God, but Jesus’ death provided the way back to God.

The way? Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Hebrews 11:6 puts it this way; “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Furthermore, for those who have put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, He says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

There is much one can glean from that verse, but I will mention three here. First, that He has called us, who believe, out of darkness into His marvelous light. We are no longer lost. We belong to Him. Then two, we were chosen. It had nothing to do with us, but everything to do with Him. If He hadn’t chosen us, we would never had recognized our need for a Savior! Then three, we were chosen to proclaim His praises, His wonder, His majesty, His incredible deeds. We were chosen to bring glory to His name!

If you have put your trust in Him, no longer is the word “BETRAYER” l written across your file. Are you living with the purpose to bring glory to Him?

Blessings, Mari