Seeds of Disdain

556 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 15:12, "Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city-from Giloh-while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number. (2 Sam 15:12) Getting an insider like Ahithophel on his team was quite a coup for Absalom, just as getting the insider Judas on his side was quite a coup for the devil. Neither insider worked out as we know and both lives ended tragically. There is no doubt that Ahithophel is portrayed in the Scriptures as a “type” of Judas. He is the one David refers to in Ps 41:9, “ Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.” and again in Ps 55:12-14, “For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could hide from him. 13 But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together, And walked to the house of God in the throng.” The seeds of Ahithophel's disdain for David likely began when David committed adultery with Ahithophel's granddaughter Bathsheba. It was further fueled by David's lack of discipline against Amnon for his sexual assault of Absalom's sister Tamar. This reign of David was not turning out the way Ahithophel had envisioned it, and with Absalom in power things would be more in line with Ahithophel's way of thinking. We can only speculate about the seeds of disdain that were growing in Judas that led to his betrayal of Jesus, but let us learn from their experiences whenever seeds of disdain begin to show up in our own relationships, especially in our marriages. There will come a time in every marriage when the honeymoon is over. Little seeds of disdain begin to get planted when the marriage isn't going according to the way you envisioned it. Know this reality going into the marriage, and commit from the very beginning to not allow them to lead you into betrayal. Work through them with prayer, patience, humility, love, and understanding. Father, help us to work through our disappointments in our relationships.