Betrayal or True Surrender?

 This morning, I was reading in Matthew 26 and came upon this passage - 

14-16 "Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?" And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him.  From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus."

This passage is right after Jesus is anointed by the woman (Mary, we are told in John) with the expensive perfume.  Judas was upset because he wanted the money from the perfume in a place where he could steal it (John 12:6).  Historians have told us that Judas Iscariot was a member of a group of zealous Jews who wanted to overthrow Rome and restore Israel to Jewish rule.  He wanted Jesus to be an earthly King.  Judas wanted Jesus to fit into the mold of what he thought was best.  When Jesus wouldn't fit his mold, Judas betrayed Him.  

How often do we want Jesus, or God the Father, to fit into our own molds?  How often do we get upset when God hasn't "answered our prayers" when the reality is that He did, just not the way we wanted?  How often do we treat God as our own personal "wish fairy" and expect Him to be and do what we want? How arrogant of us!  What betrayal He must feel when we do this!  

God is good.  All the time.  No matter what is happening.  God is just.  All the time.  No matter what is happening.  Sometimes, He chooses to temper His justice with mercy, but He is always just.  He always loves His children.  He always know best.  

"My soul clings to You; Your right hand  upholds me." Psalm 63:8

No matter how the answer to our prayers come - with an answer we wanted or a wait or a no - we need to cling to the Lord.  We need to cling to His Word and remember His character.  No matter what happens.  

Lord, help us to cling to you no matter what.  I pray for my sisters around the world.  In Kenya, in the middle east, in Europe, in the United States, everywhere we call on Your Name.  May we cling to you, Jesus, and love You well.

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