Retreat ruined.

"After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kieron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed I'm, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples."

(John 18:1-12)

When I moved to Palmdale UMC 2+ years ago, I inherited a church with a large staff. They're an awesome group of people - very much team oriented, wiling to pitch in and help whenever needed! Plus, they legitimately enjoy each other's company. One of the reasons they're so good together is the previous pastor did a wonderful job in setting up a system of togetherness. Monthly "birthday lunches" - where we eat together & celebrate whomever is having a birthday that month. Two staff "play dates": one in the fall (with our 15+ preschool staff, too!), and one in the spring (this year we played foot golf; last year went to a "Whose Line is It Anyway?" taping!).

But the biggest contribution to our togetherness (outside of our weekly staff meetings) is our FALL RETREAT. We just returned from 3-days together up in Wrightwood, CA. For those not familiar with California, Wrightwood is a mountain retreat area, and our staff has been going there for years. The 3 retreats I've been to have been at the same location in Wrightwood - two privately run homes that double as our "retreat center." There we've eaten together, laughed together, played together, studied together, learned together, prayed together, and grown together. It's been fabulous!

In my scripture reading today from John 18, Jesus and most of his disciples went to a familiar place for a staff retreat: The Garden of Gethsemane. They'd gone there many times before. It was comfortable and familiar. They had a history there together.

And then Judas came. One of the 12 disciples who'd followed Jesus for 3 years. But he was no longer "with" Jesus now. He was disgruntled and disillusioned. And now he was coming to betray Jesus into the hands of the Jewish authorities - for a meager price of 30 pieces of silver.

I wonder what hurt Jesus more... knowing that one of the people he'd invested 3 years of his life into was coming to betray him? Or the fact that Judas was doing it in the place which had been their retreat/bonding area? They'd shared intimacy & spiritual power there. Now it was the site of a betrayal.

Places have significance to us humans. We fondly remember locales where significant life events have taken place. Likewise, we remember with sorrow those places where we experienced hurt & hardship. And then when something happens to turn a "happy place" into a place of brokenness, it often rocks our world. It's never quite the same ever again.

And yet... the whole passion of Christ saga is one that transformed feelings of brokenness, betrayal, and sorrow... into feelings of joy, wholeness, and resurrection. So fear not... if you've had some of your special places "ruined" by someone you once trusted, it's not the end. God has the final say. May God help bring resurrection and new life into those places for you.