Today’s Reading: Matthew 27:3-10
Today’s Reference: 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”
Judas knew he’d done wrong—we always do, don’t we? So he brought the silver back to the chief priests and elders out of guilt. Notice that these men, who were so friendly when he could be of use to them, now said, “What’s that to us?” and sent him away still full of remorse.
Judas responded to his sorrow in the wrong way. If all we do with our sin is grieve about it and try to make amends in our own way, we’ll end up in despair just as Judas did. Right now inside you worldly sorrow may be eating away…and keeping you from taking your sin to Christ, where it belongs.
Regret will keep you looking backward forever, and cheat you into thinking there’s no hope. It may not kill you physically, but it can paralyze and kill you spiritually. Only repentance before Christ can free you from the past and bring you eternal life.
Prayer:
Father, here am I, a sinner needing to be saved. Forgive me. I turn from my sin to the only one qualified to save me. Help me abandon worldly sorrow to live in hope!
In Jesus’ name, amen.