I must say, I’m not impressed with Judas’s choice of a signal. He took a sign of love;—a kiss;—and turned it into a sign of betrayal.
And yet, if I’m honest, my own kisses hold the seeds of betrayal. Every time I say “I love You” to the Lord, there’s still a tiny, traitorous bit of me that is either doing evil, about to do evil, or recovering from it. Oh, but my evil isn’t like that of Judas. It’s only gossip;—only shading the truth;—only, only, only. Only a little thing. Only something that led Jesus to the cross.
And realizing that can lead to anguish. How can I ever love God properly if sin gets in the way? What hope is there for me?
And yet … a kiss can start from either side, right? If I kiss the Lord, my betrayal is always with me. But if He kisses me … well, then. There is no evil in His love, no betrayal;—only forgiveness, mercy, salvation. That is what the cross was about. That is what the empty tomb was for.
The Bible is right: “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth! For Your love is better than wine” (Song of Solomon 1:2).
THE PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for taking the initiative and bringing us into Your love. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* Tell about a kiss you remember.
* When you feel like you’ve let God down, how do you find His comfort again?
* How do you stay focused on God’s love for you?
Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.