April 8 - Betrayed.

Matthew 26:20-21
“Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.”

When we suffer for His sake, the persecution we face makes us more like Jesus Christ.
 
In between these two verses in Matthew, there is a beautiful scene of the humility and love of Christ that takes place found in John 13.
 
After supper, Jesus took a bason of water and began to wash the feet of His disciples. The Saviour gave an the ultimate example of leadership in serving others; so much so, He even washed the feet of the one He knew would betray Him.
 
John 13:18
“I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.”
 
Each disciple had to lift up his heel in order to have his foot washed, but when Judas lifted his it was against Jesus in hostility. Christ knew this was so that Scripture was fulfilled.
 
Psalm 41:9
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
 
When Jesus foretold of this, the disciples began to question:
Matthew 26:22
“And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?”
 
Jesus knew exactly who it was.
John 13:26-27
“Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.”
 
Have you felt like you have been betrayed?
Take comfort in the fact that the betrayal only makes us more like Christ.
 
In Psalm 55, David speaks of being betrayed. 
He even goes so far as to say they took sweet counsel together within the house of God. But David chose to call upon God for deliverance instead of getting revenge; just as Jesus chose to drink the bitter cup of betrayal because He knew a greater purpose was at hand.
 
If you feel betrayed today, choose to respond by casting your burden upon the Lord.
 
Psalm 55:22
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
 
Commit them to His care today. 
Depend on Him to defend you.
 
 
Bible Reading:
Joshua 6-7   |    Acts 10