April 17–Holy Tuesday

Good Holy Wednesday to you! This is the day that we all stand face to face with betrayal. Of course we can be self-righteous and say we would never betray Jesus as Judas did, but let’s be truthful. Haven’t we all at some point in our lives been selfish, hypocrites and not been the stalwart, card-carrying Christian? Of course we have because we are human and we all fail. The important thing is that we recognize when we fall (and some of us fall hard enough to get hurt) but we dust ourselves off and get back up. 


On Tuesday, Jesus painfully gave His final lament over the city of Jerusalem. Even before His crucifixion, Jesus’ heart was broken by Israel’s lack of faith. They just failed to recognize He was God in the flesh—they failed very badly. The mourning of the nation of Israel would be great. Soon the Temple would be destroyed and Jerusalem with it. 


““O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate. For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23:37-39‬ ‭NLT‬‬


And as Jesus feels the weight of the betrayal of Jerusalem, He knows that Judas is making plans to betray Him for the price of a slave. How He must have felt. 


Afterwards, when Judas saw that Jesus was condemned to die, he was remorseful to the point of repentance except he tried to repent to the Pharisees. He tried to return the money, but the chief priests wouldn’t take it. He was so distraught he eventually committed suicide. It seems amazing that Judas never got it. He lived with Jesus, walked and talked with the very Son of God, saw the miracles, heard Him foretell and yet, it never really sunk in with him. He was a pretender, a good-times-only follower. How? Yet all of the disciples, had to face their own challenge of faithfulness to Jesus. All of them in one way or the other had their bouts of failure. (Remember Peter and the rooster?) Yet at that point in Acts when Mathias was named as the 12th disciple, the eleven were standing firm in their commitment to God. 


I think all of us sometimes feel like we have been unfaithful to God or have not even considered Him in our daily activities. Or maybe even worse, we have deliberately done what was against His will for us. But from this Holy Wednesday on, let’s not accept less than the best that God wants for us. 


Lord Jesus we pray for your forgiveness for all the times we have failed you and have turned our backs on you. We repent for moments we have spent being unfaithful to you and not considering what you would have us to do. We truly want your best for us. Help us to stand strong for you and let the world see you through us. Give us opportunities to be your hands and feet and serve as you served. We worship you and praise you Jehovah, our Rock and our Savior, the soon and coming King. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam

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