[Thursday's Devotional] - Betrayed with a kiss

“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Luke 22:48 [NIV]

“The kisses of an enemy are deceitful."  I have learned to be on my guard when the world puts on a loving face, for it will, if possible, betray me as it did my Master, with a kiss.   Whenever a man is about to stab religion, he usually professes very great reverence for it.  Beware of the clever hypocrisy which walks alongside heresy and infidelity.  Knowing how unrighteousness can deceive, let me be wise as a serpent to detect and avoid the schemes of the enemy.

The young man, without understanding, was led astray by the kiss of the strange woman: may You speak to my soul so graciously throughout this day, that "the fair speech" of the world will have no effect upon me.  

Holy Spirit, let me not, a poor weak son of man, be betrayed with a kiss!
But what if I should be guilty of the same sin as Judas, that man doomed to destruction?  I have been baptized in 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 mere lowly traitor. Do I live in the world without a care, as others do, and yet profess to be a follower of Jesus?  Then surely I expose religion to ridicule, and lead people to speak evil of the holy name by which I am called.  Surely if I act inconsistently like this, I am a Judas, and it would be better for me that I had never been born.  Dare I hope that I am clear in this matter? Then, Lord, keep me so.

O Lord, make me sincere and true.  Preserve me from every false path.  Never let me betray my Saviour.  I do love you, Jesus, and though I often cause you distress, I long to remain faithful even to the point of death.  O God, forbid that I should aim high, and then fall to the depths, because I betrayed my Master with a kiss.

Charles Spurgeon, paraphrased by Dave MacLellan