He knows
Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.” Matthew 26:25
Whatever you are going through in life, He knows. He is there, and He will help you. It is up to you to first surrender and ask. He is always ready to step in, but He waits for the invitation. He doesn’t force or push; He moves when He is invited. Maybe you call out to Him, or maybe someone is interceding for you, but make no mistake, He already knows everything you are going through.
It’s not that He doesn’t care. No, in fact it is just the opposite, He cares very deeply. However, He puts the choice in your hands regarding how much involvement He has in your life. You can include Him a little, only when things are really rough, or you can invite Him into every part of your life on a daily, even continual basis. The Lord Jesus is involved in your life to the degree that you want Him to be, and that is good news.
Why is that good news? Because He has given you control over your relationship with Him. You decide what you get out of it. If you ignore Him and only call on Him when you need something, that’s what you’ll receive. But if you spend time talking with Him and include Him in every area of your life, you’ll walk in divine wisdom, protection, and health. It’s true, and in today’s passage, we see just how loving He is and how willing He is to step in when asked.
The reading starts with Judas, after being offended by Jesus’ rebuke over the woman with the alabaster flask, going to the high priests and asking for payment to betray Jesus. Perhaps Judas thought Jesus couldn’t be detained since He had avoided it before. Maybe Judas wasn’t even thinking beyond the money. Regardless, the moment Judas conspired with the priests, he turned his loyalty away from Jesus.
Here’s the kicker: Jesus gave Judas an out. He confronted him face to face. At the Passover supper, Jesus told everyone that one of them would betray Him. None of them denied it; instead, they believed Him and asked who it was. When Judas asked, Jesus plainly told him that he was the one.
At that moment, Judas had a decision to make. Would he confess and ask for forgiveness? Certainly, Jesus would have helped him out of the mess. But Judas left and kept his agreement with the priests.
It’s such a sad story but notice that Jesus didn’t beg or plead with Judas not to do it. He made it clear that Judas had a choice when He said, “The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!” Jesus knew He had to go to the cross, but He didn’t have to be betrayed by Judas. Even though prophecy foretold the betrayal, Jesus would have forgiven Judas if he had surrendered. That’s what Jesus does: He loves and forgives.
What are you going through today? Are you struggling financially, like Judas? Are you hurting in your family or marriage? Does it feel like your world is crashing down around you?
You can run to Jesus today. Surrender it all to Him, and He will help you through. I know this is true because He has rescued me many times. I call on Him, He answers, and I’m so thankful that He does. Without Him, I would be in a terrible place in my life. Instead, I am beyond blessed because I’ve let Him invade and lead every part of my life.
Today I want to encourage you that He will do the same for you. Trust Him today. Turn your problems over to Him and commit to handling things His way. He will lead you out of the deep pit you’re in and bring you to the victory He died to give you.
Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 26:14-25
14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.
16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
17 Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
18 And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ”
19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
20 When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.
21 Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?”
23 He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.
24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.”
The Daily Dose 