Bible Besties | Judas

Today’s Bible Besties devotion is about Judas.

Friend, do what you came to do.

Matthew 26:50

Devotion for Today

You may be a little surprised to find Judas in a devotional about Bible besties. I mean, He wasn’t exactly the pillar of faith in Christ. But there’s something to be said about Judas that I think we all need to hear:

Jesus loved Judas all the way up to the end.

Jesus knew that Judas would be the one who betrayed Him, but He still called Him to be a disciple. Not just any disciple, but one of the twelve—His inner circle. He didn’t have to do that. But He chose to.

There’s a popular meme that goes around Facebook that says, “Judas ate too.” But Judas didn’t just eat. Knowing that Judas was about to betray Him, Jesus humbled Himself and washed his feet.

In the garden when Judas came with the soldiers and Pharisees, Jesus didn’t shrink away. He let Judas kiss Him on the cheek. And instead of scorn, Jesus called Him “friend.”

When Jesus hung on the cross, He asked God to forgive those who were persecuting Him. And I believe He was willing to forgive Judas, too. If Judas would have turned back to Jesus, his story would have had a different ending. But he didn’t. He could never forgive himself, so he took his own life.

Have you ever found yourself there? Have you held onto something you refuse to forgive yourself for, even though Jesus says it’s already forgiven. When Jesus died on the cross His blood covered all of our sins. Not just some of them. Not just the little ones—all of them.

In second Peter 3:9, Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Jesus didn’t wish Judas dead, He wished him to repent.

And that’s what He wants for you, too.

Not that you would live in shame and guilt of all you did wrong, but that you would turn to Him and let His forgiveness wash over you.

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