“Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver Him over to you?’ And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Him.” (Matthew 26:14-16 ESV)
Why does Judas choose that day to betray Jesus? I think it’s because of the conflict over Mary’s expensive gift. When Jesus rebukes him, Judas gets angry. And so he goes off in a cold rage to betray Jesus to His enemies.
This isn’t the first time Judas had stepped out of line, though. John 12 tells us that he had been stealing money from the donations people gave to keep Jesus’ ministry going. And yet, this is a man who had been a preacher and healer. He got started down a bad road, and then one final thing tipped him into disaster.
It’s scary. It’s so easy to go further than we meant into evil. And then we can’t get ourselves out again. Only Jesus can do that.
If you find yourself going down a wrong path today, don’t hesitate. Don’t delay another minute, or justify yourself, or worry about the shame. Ask Jesus for help. He will do it gladly. You matter so much to Him that He lay down His life to rescue you. Give Him the chance to help you today.
WE PRAY: Lord, You see where I am in danger and need you most. Help me. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* Why is “going wrong” so easy?
* When can anger lead to disaster?
* How do you rely on Jesus to keep you safe?
Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on March 17, 2023
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved
