Psalm 41:9 - My Own Familiar Friend

v 9 “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” {Psalm 41:9}

Have you ever been {or thought you had been} betrayed by a friend much less a close friend? At first you are in disbelief that this could happen to you, then it’s either anger or self pity. My brothers and sisters, these reactions are normal and expected from the worlds point of view. Through years of subtle training this is how the world wants us to react. We’ve also been subtly trained to not forgive or at least if we do forgive it’s after a long period of time.

We need to take our lessons from the master teacher, Jesus. He did not get angry or feel self pity, as for disbelief, this was not on our masters mind as He expected this betrayal. Jesus did not judge Judas but forgave him right away. Judas did not go straight away and hang himself, {And they rose up [one of them, whose name was Cleopas] the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Luke 24:33} We find out later that Thomas was not with them at this time. 12 - 1 = 11, not ten as we have been taught - Judas was one of the eleven {minus Thomas} which tell me that he had to have been forgiven by Jesus. Could you so quickly forgive a trusted friend that had betrayed you unto death? My prayer is that I never have to find out but if that day ever came, I don’t know what I would do. I would truly like to say that I could forgive that quickly but again I don’t know. Try and be honest with yourself and place yourself in that type of situation, what would do?

From betrayal to forgiveness, to the cross to forgiveness, to His resurrection, I praise the Lord for his forgiveness, his mercy, and his grace.