Praying for Your Judas

We all have someone who has betrayed us. It may be a coworker, spouse, parent, sibling, “best friend”, etc. It is interesting that the one who betrayed Jesus was hand-picked by Jesus to be one of the twelve. It is also interesting that the betrayer was Jesus’ treasurer. In certain churches, I have learned to watch out for church treasurers. Anyway… Jesus chose Judas, knowing well that Judas would be the betrayer who would lead to His death. Jesus also knew that His death and resurrection would be the only way to provide salvation and forgiveness to all who will place their faith and trust in Him.

So what do we do with the Judases of our life? Hold a grudge? Remain bitter? Neither option is helpful. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies. Getting started hurts. I mean I would rather make myself throw up than do that. Over time, God changes my heart.

Who is your Judas? Are you ignoring the bitterness? Quit it! You will be in bondage to the bitterness until you follow the formula of Jesus in Matthew 5:44. Find the release that comes from praying for those who hate you and betray you. You will come out being the bigger person.

Matthew Winters

February 21, 2020

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3 responses to “Praying for Your Judas”

Exploring Alura

February 21, 2020 at 12:40 am

When I attended youth group, my youth pastor gave us a lesson on Judas. His thoughts were that Judas was hand selected as the only one strong enough to betray Jesus so that Jesus could take his place upon the Cross. Many hold Judas in a place of disregard for doing that to Jesus, but without the betrayal, Jesus’ story would not have been told in the same way. And so to that end, in a way, we should be thankful to those that take the lower road in our quest to the Lord. For it is in those that act less than they should, that enable us to see a better way to be. Not everyone gets hand selected to be the role of modern day saint, some are hand selected as modern day sinner – both come together to tell the tale of God’s LOVE in our life. In this way saint and sinner can walk together in harmony knowing that each are bringing the other closer to the Lord.

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1. Matthew Winters
  
  February 21, 2020 at 1:43 am
  
  The subject of Judas is definitely a two-sided coin.
  
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Pastor Randy

February 21, 2020 at 11:04 am

Following Jesus isn’t for the faint-hearted! I often remind myself, and others, “What if Judas hadn’t hung himself? What if he could have held on until that Sunday morning? What a story of grace and redemption he could have told!”

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Honest Thoughts from a Pastor