Disappointment

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 9-12

Disappointment is hard to navigate. I recently was talking to a friend who experienced a painful disappointment in their life. People with whom they were close let them down. People they trusted and invited into their home had betrayed them. People they loved had walked away. I’ve seen it too many times to count. I’ve seen it in marriages and families. I’ve seen it in churches and small groups. I’ve seen it in business and friendship. And the natural response is to pull back. Protect our hearts. Refuse to trust anyone ever again lest we open ourselves up to more hurt. Even if the person or parties return, we too often refuse to forgive. Refuse to extend grace. And the result is only more brokenness and heartbreak and pain.

There is so much to admire about Samuel. His devotion to the Lord from a young age. His military prowess. His leadership ability. His spiritual authority and wisdom. His faithfulness over so many years. But perhaps what I admire most is his attitude at the end of his life. When the people he has given his life to turn on him and ask for a king. They reject his leadership in a desire to be just like the nations around them. It had to be a crushing disappointment for him. But what is his response? “As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the good and right way. Above all, fear the Lord and worship him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things he has done for you. However, if you continue to do what is evil, both you and your king will be swept away.” (‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭12‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Samuel never stops praying. Never stops teaching. Never stops discipling. Never stops seeking to lead them by example. It doesn’t matter that they have rejected and betrayed him. His calling doesn’t depend on their affirmation. He trusts in the Lord alone.

What about you? What disappointments have you faced in your life that have tempted you to withdraw? Tempted you to avoid? Tempted you to withhold forgiveness and grace? What relationships in your life need healing and reconciliation? How can you be an agent of grace in the midst of conflict? How can you be a person of peace when those you love are at odds with one another? Follow Samuel’s example. Never stop praying, even for those who hurt you. Never stop living the good and righteous way. Never stop fearing the Lord and worshipping Him faithfully with all your heart. Never forget the great things He has done for you and seek to do those same things for others.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 13-16

The Pain of Betrayal

Readings for today: Matthew 26:1-5, 14-35, Mark 14:1-2, 10-31, Luke 22:1-38, John 13

Betrayal. None of us believe we are capable of it. All of us have probably experienced it on some level. It’s one of the most painful things we can experience in this life. I think of the people I know who have experienced betrayal in their marriages when their spouse steps out on them. I think of the people I know who have had a business partner make deals behind their backs. I think of pastors I know who feel like their congregations turn on them or vice versa. I’ve seen it happen to close friends, associates, family members, you name it. It’s brutal every time.

In our reading for today, Peter makes a bold claim. “Though the whole world walk away from you, I will never betray you, Jesus.” Famous last words. I still remember standing in the courtyard of Caiaphas’ house in Israel and thinking about Peter’s words. Just a short walk away in the upper room, Peter seems so courageous and yet when confronted by a servant girl, he caves. Just a stone’s throw where Peter makes his denial, Jesus will be confined to a basement storage room for the night before His crucifixion. It’s amazing how close everything is over in the Holy Land. All of the events of the final few days of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection happen within a small geographic area. It really drives home the pain Jesus must have felt when he heard Peter betray him.

If you’ve been tracking with us this year as we’ve read through the Bible, you know “betrayal” is something God experiences over and over again. By committing Himself to His people, He exposes Himself willingly and freely to the pain of repeated betrayal. It’s part of the cost God bears in order to remain faithful to His covenant. I can’t imagine the pain God must have endured throughout the centuries. I certainly cannot imagine the pain God must have endured by being betrayed by His closest friends. At the same time, the story of the Bible is not about me identifying with God’s pain as much as God identifying with my pain. He comes to us. He becomes one of us. He is with us. He never betrays us. Never forsakes us. Never abandons us. That’s the great news of the gospel. God is faithful.

Readings for tomorrow: John 14-17