1 John 1:8–9 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Mark 14:10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.
How do you betray Christ?
Do you seek ways to hurt your relationship with Christ or do you pursue life choices that bring you closer?
Pray that you will be steadfast in your faithfulness to Christ.
Devotional by Charles Fortney
Betrayal is the act that draws the strongest reaction in any relationship. A cheating spouse, a parent that lies to her child, a child that will not tell the truth to a parent, or a friend that promised to meet you somewhere then didn’t show up are all examples, in varying degrees, of betrayal. We wonder how anyone that holds our trust and affection could treat us that way and get angry, then sad at the loss of trust. We promise ourselves we would never treat someone close to us that way, but invariably we break that promise and betray others just as we have been betrayed.
Much of the time we don’t view our relationship with Christ in these same terms. But it’s true. We hurt our relationship with Christ by pursuing what’s not His. If your job, boyfriend, new house or boat are most important to you, you pursue them. Those objects don’t belong to Him. Promising to spend a daily time with Jesus, then forgetting about it, oversleeping, or saying you’ll make up for it another time all take little chunks out of a relationship that should be the dearest to you.
Tell Jesus today directly that you love Him and that you want to make Him the object of all your affection. Psalm 37:4 -5 says “Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this.” (NIV). Desire Jesus first. That desire will become your focus and you won’t have to worry about breaking promises, or living up to an artificial level of a relationship. He desires authentic relationships with His children. Don’t beat yourself up for past betrayals. Ask forgiveness and move into a new phase of a relationship that Jesus desperately wants to have with you.