betrayal

Luke 22:48 "Would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"

Excerpt from my devotional yesterday, by Charles Spurgeon:

"I have been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus; I am a member of his visible Church; I sit at the communion table:  all these are so many kisses of my lips.  Am I sincere in them? If not, I am a base traitor.  Do I live in the world as carelessly as others do, and yet make a profession of being a follower of Jesus? Then I must expose religion to ridicule and lead men to speak evil of the holy name by which I am called. Surely if I act thus inconsistently I am a Judas, and it were better for me that I had never been born.  Dare I hope that I am clear in this matter? Then, O Lord, keep me so.  O Lord, make me sincere and true. Preserve me from every false way. Never let me betray my Savior.  I do love thee, Jesus, and though I often grieve thee, yet I would desire to abide faithful even unto death."


This hit me. And made me think.  When we go through the motions of our faith without a heart fully dependent on God, seeking His glory and not our own, we are, in effect, betraying Jesus with a kiss.
When we attend church, and our minds are far from God.
When we pray for a person in need, but do nothing to help them with our own resources.
When we claim the role of Christian, but ignore the high standard to which that name must hold us.
Betrayal.

Lord, forgive me for my unfaithfulness. Help me to war against my tendencies to betray You with a kiss. Give me wisdom, spiritual motivation, and discipline to seek after You...joy, peace, and hope to rest in Your presence.  Be my all in all.  My Lord. My Master.