After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in His spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." ... Jesus said to [Judas], "What you are going to do, do quickly." ... he immediately went out. And it was night. (John 13:21, 27b, 30b)

Why did Jesus say to Judas, "What you are going to do, do quickly"? I don't know for sure, but I think maybe this is the human side of Jesus speaking. He knows Judas is about to betray Him, and the pain and grief is almost more than He can bear. And so He says, "Make it quick." Don't drag it out. Let it be over as soon as possible.

It's good for us to remember that when Jesus suffered for our sakes, He wasn't play acting. He wasn't some remote God pretending to be human, but untouched by human feelings and pain. No, He was and is fully human, and He felt it. He felt the fear, the grief, the pain of betrayal.

Why would God put Himself through that? It can only be for love. God loved us enough to become one of us and to share the most painful parts of our lives. This is how He chose to save us—through betrayal, pain, and death.

But because He has shared our pain, He has opened the door for us to share His peace—His joy—His everlasting life. The same Jesus who was crucified for us has also risen from the dead for us—and He will raise us, too. We will never be separated from Him again, not even by death.

WE PRAY: Lord, You came close to me. Let me never be separated from You. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

* What are some events that make you say, "Let it be over quickly"?

* What events do you want to prolong?

* Do you tend to think of God as "out there" or close to you?

Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Today's Bible Readings: Leviticus 26-27    Mark 11:19-33

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