Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 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.’” And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
~ Matthew 26:17-25
Jesus knew that Judas would betray him even before calling Judas to be an apostle. Yet as part of God’s plan for our salvation, He chose Judas and traveled and taught and lived with him for three years. He didn’t treat Judas any differently than the other apostles; indeed, Judas was the one trusted with the money box.
Holy and Eternal God, Your plan required that one man from among Jesus’s most trusted followers betray Him. If I even suspected that someone to whom I was close would betray me, I would distance myself from that person and try to prevent the betrayal from happening. Yet Jesus kept Judas close and in essence invited Judas to betray—and all for my sake and for the sake of all who trust in Jesus. There is no way for me to express my love and thanksgiving for my salvation, but I will endeavor to live a life that brings You glory. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.
These daily devotions are available in a book The Grace of God, with all profits donated to Love for the Least to share the compassion of Christ with an unreached world. L4L shares the Good News of the Gospel with the least and unreached by making disciples of Jesus who make disciples (2 Tim 2:2) and by helping to meet the physical needs of the poorest of the poor.