Day 148, 26th January: 1 Samuel, John and Proverbs
Betrayal and Trust
Matt Summerfield
Today’s readings
1 Samuel 21:1-23:29
John 18:1-24
Proverbs 13:10-19
Have you ever been betrayed? Our stories today in the Old and New Testament both involve the agony of betrayal.
In 1 Samuel 21, Doeg the Edomite spies on David as he seeks help from the Priest Ahimelek in the town of Nob. Doeg later reports this encounter to mad King Saul (1 Samuel 22) who as a result demands the death of eighty five priests plus all the men, women, children and animals in Nob. It seems that betrayal has a high price!!!
But this wouldn’t be the last time David faced such an experience. In 1 Samuel 23 David rescues the town of Keilah from a Philistine attack. You would’ve thought that Keilah would feel indebted to David for his kindness in saving them, yet God tells David that he had better leave the town because they will betray his location to Saul. How gutted must’ve David felt? Having to keep moving from place to place because he couldn’t trust anybody.
As we turn to the New Testament we find Jesus betrayed twice by his closest friends. First Judas in the garden of Gethsemane and then just hours later Peter denies knowing his Lord – despite a promise just a few hours earlier that he never would.
Why does betrayal appear to be the easy option? In Proverbs 13:10 we’re told that “Where there is strife, there is pride.” Betrayal is rooted in selfishness. Putting ourselves first. Wanting to make ourselves look good. Have you ever seen the Board room scene at the end of the TV programme ‘The Apprentice’. It’s amazing how everyone suddenly turns on each other.
God wants you and I to be trustworthy. Betrayal ultimately leads to self-destruction (Proverbs 13:15) but being a trustworthy person brings healing (Proverb 13:17). Which would you prefer?
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Today’s picture was taken by…
Fraser Gallacher. Thanks Fraser!
If you’d like to take your own picture to potentially be featured on the blog, then get your Soul Survivor Bible in One Year, and take a picture of yourself – and your Bible – at some interesting or colourful location. Then email it to us at editor@soulsurvivor.com.
The pictures will need to be a pretty good resolution (we use 640px by 360 px so at least as big as that), landscape photos work best and if you include the day of the reading in the picture then make sure you send it to us a good few days before that reading, so we have time to include it in that day’s post! We’ll credit all photographers!
