“Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve.  And as they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me” (Matthew 26:20-21).

The original sin began with Adam betraying God.  He chose Eve over God and set up house on his own.  We too were born betraying God by not having Him as the center of our being.  This is the original sin.  But then, there is the next level where there is an intentional continuing on deliberately seeking our will over what God has revealed and is known to us.  This Judas did, seeking his way rather than the Lord’s way.

Lord, there is the “Judas” effect all around me.  There are those who do things their own way and without regard to You and the way of life which You have established by grace.  Let me not fall into the trap of seeking my own will over Your will.  You are and must be the One who guides my life.  Without You, I am nothing but a rebellious sinner seeking his own way through life.

Lord Jesus, You died my death so that I could live the true life which You give.  Lead me in the upward call of faith so that I live into the life for which You died.  Keep me from seeking my own will so that I live the Father’s will in all I say and do.  You have already given me the words of eternal life.  Help me to walk the narrow path this day and join You in saying, “Not my will, but Thine be done” as I take each step throughout the day.  Amen.

“The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover” (Matthew 26:19).

That first line is the goal of our life of faith: doing as the Lord directs us.  The Lord is LORD of all and either He is Lord of your life, or else He is not.  It really does come down to this simple point.  He must be Lord of the whole of Your life and not just parts of it.  He will lead You all Your days, but You must be willing to follow wherever He leads.  That willingness is often the problem for people of faith in following Jesus.

Lord, teach me what it means to follow.  Often, I want You to clean up this part or that, but I do not want You to clean the whole of me.  I want parts of my life to be under my control.  Take this from me and be the One who leads me in the way I need to go.  Guide me by Your goodness to say “yes” to all that You ask.  You gave everything so that I could be with You.  Help me learn how to give everything to You.

Lord Jesus, lead me this day.  If You make a request of me, help me to hear clearly and then to obey.  If another comes and asks something of me, move my spirit to know if it is You who is asking.  Through all things, teach me what it means to be a steward of all that You have entrusted to me.  Guide me in living this life of faith so that I learn how to be faithful and obedient to all Your commands.  Amen.

“Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”  And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near; I am keeping the Passover at your house with My disciples” (Matthew 26:17-18).

The Lord who knows all things knows those who are His.  Do not be surprised when the faithful do what is asked, for the Lord asked them first.  In this world, sinners manipulate to get what we want.  The Lord asks and the faithful say, “Yes, Lord.”  Those who are stewards of what belongs to God share from His storehouse.  What an honor it is to serve the Lord and respond to Him with a “yes.”

Lord, all things are Yours.  Would I grant You a request if You asked me?  Help me to have the heart of a steward who knows that all things belong to You.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to understand that if You want back what is already Yours, it is not time to hold on, but to let go.  You have given me the hope of eternal life and You have reminded me that this life is temporary.  Let me be useful here and now but never forget where I am going.

Lord Jesus, You gave up everything to come here and live among us.  By Your example, You did not stress over the things of this world, but lived in it freely, doing what You came to do.  Lead me in the same way by which I may become a good steward of all that is Yours.  Teach me to be responsive to Your requests and do those things You give me to do.  Lead me in the way of everlasting life.  Amen.

“Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests  and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.  And from then on he looked for a good opportunity to betray Jesus” (Matthew 26:14-16).

Was this the final straw for Judas?  He seems to have been on a quest to usher Jesus in as king on terms that in his own heart were driving him.  As Scripture foretold, Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.  What does it take for us to take a bribe and renounce the call our Lord has given us?  The world offers us immediate comfort or pleasure and we take that rather than follow the Lord who promises us a perfect eternity.

Lead me, O Lord, and help me to follow.  You are the author of all of creation, and You know all that is needed.  Help me to not be distracted by the whims and fads of this world.  Help me to stay the course and follow you no matter what comes my way.  You have the words of eternal life, and You have shared them with the hope of the Gospel.  Lead me always and help me to follow You.

Lord Jesus, I need to be saved, for I cannot figure out amidst the noise of this world which steps to take.  Clear my mind so that I clearly hear the truth of Your word.  Guide me in the goodness of Your grace to humbly walk where You lead me and not betray You with my own ideas of how things ought to be.  Lift me out of the mire of this world to walk the narrow path of faith, serving You above all things.  Amen.

“For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.  Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her” (Matthew 26:12-13).

Indeed, these words have come to pass.  There have always been the poor, but the act of this unnamed woman has been repeated since the time of Jesus’ ministry in Israel.  The word of the Lord will never come back void.  We are reminded to do what the Lord asks, not what the world expects.  Keep your eye upon the Lord and listen to His instructions, for He will lead you in the way you need to go.

Lord, I am conflicted between the voices of this world and Your call to follow You.  Sometimes it can be to a banquet and other times it is to pour out what is valuable to me.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to listen to Your call and obey Your command.  Let me not seek notoriety, but obedience.  Let me not seek any acclaim from others, but simply obey Your word leading me forward in faith.

Lord Jesus, You know the voices that are around me which call me to other places.  This world is filled with those who demand and have expectations contrary to Your leading.  Guide me along the narrow road so that I may humbly walk the path You set before me.  Lead me in faith to do what You ask me to do, especially those times where the world is shouting at me to do something else.  Amen.

“But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering the woman? For she has done a good deed for Me.  For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me” (Matthew 26:10-11).

Pouring out your heart, literally, and loving the Lord and our neighbor is the goal of our faith.  It is not a mechanical thing where we seek to do this or that and gain approval but learning how to love fully.  So long as this world is in rebellion, there will be a mess.  There will be those who have and those who have not, some by their own doing and some by the doing of others.  Our Lord appoints our vocation, but what we do with it will become the starting point of our faith or lack thereof.

Lord, You have given in abundance.  You call me to give in abundance.  Sometimes it is to help those who are less fortunate.  Other times, it may be for something someone else considers extravagant.  Whatever it may be, may it be what is pleasing to You.  The mess will always be around us during this age and there are many who need help.  Help me to choose the better portion for the sake of You and Your kingdom.

Lord Jesus, I often do not know one thing from another.  By the power of Your Holy Spirit, help me so that no matter what those around me think, I am always willing to live in Your love for Your sake and for the sake of others.  Let me be led by You and not by the opinions of those around me.  May it be that I always have You as the center of the life of faith You have given me.  Guide me ever deeper into the mystery of the life You have given me.  Amen.

“Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table” (Matthew 26:6-7).

What can you give the Lord?  It is not the expense of the item, but the love that guided the one who anointed the Lord.  The Lord of love has come so that we may live in the love He gives.  He offers you a loving relationship and desires that You learn to love as He loves.  Is this not the greatest commandment?  We are to love the Lord and others as we love ourselves.

Holy Spirit, I am tossed by the fickle whims of a manipulative world and often follow blindly.  You have come to fill my heart with love and wisdom.  Guide me in the true way of living according to Your word.  Help me to not just mindlessly go through life but live purposefully in the truth which has been revealed in the Gospel.  Guide me to love in word and deed, applying the things You teach me.

Lord Jesus, You who in great love gave Your life so that I may have new life have called me into an eternal loving relationship.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way You know I need to go.  Open my eyes to see the pitfalls of this age so that I may walk the narrow path before me.  Through all things, teach me what it means to love others as You first loved me.  Fill my heart with Your love.  Amen.

“Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table” (Matthew 26:6-7).

What can you give the Lord?  It is not the expense of the item, but the love that guided the one who anointed the Lord.  The Lord of love has come so that we may live in the love He gives.  He offers you a loving relationship and desires that You learn to love as He loves.  Is this not the greatest commandment?  We are to love the Lord and others as we love ourselves.

Holy Spirit, I am tossed by the fickle whims of a manipulative world and often follow blindly.  You have come to fill my heart with love and wisdom.  Guide me in the true way of living according to Your word.  Help me to not just mindlessly go through life but live purposefully in the truth which has been revealed in the Gospel.  Guide me to love in word and deed, applying the things You teach me.

Lord Jesus, You who in great love gave Your life so that I may have new life have called me into an eternal loving relationship.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way You know I need to go.  Open my eyes to see the pitfalls of this age so that I may walk the narrow path before me.  Through all things, teach me what it means to love others as You first loved me.  Fill my heart with Your love.  Amen.

“At that time the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the courtyard of the high priest named Caiaphas; and they plotted together to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.  But they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people” (Matthew 26:3-5).

How the wicked of this world plot.  There always seems to be a fear of the crowd.  Crowds must be manipulated.  If the wicked want their way, manipulation is what they will use.  The Lord gives you an offer.  You take it or you don’t.  But see how the wicked will say that we who have faith have been manipulated.  It is they, not the Lord who manipulates.  Our Lord says, “Come to me, you who are weary.”

Lord, this world wearies me.  I am often not sure what to believe.  You offer the words of truth.  You do not force me into anything but continuously offer.  Guide me in the way of true life so that I may receive Your offer and walk with You.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy in order that I may see through the wickedness of this age and live the life You are offering me.

Lord Jesus, I need to be saved from this world.  Guide me in Your goodness to see that in You alone is there hope and a future.  Help me to not fall for the traps of those who manipulate but hear clearly the offer You give me to walk each day in the grace which is mine in You.  Help me to live this life of faith each day in the clear truth You have presented me through the Gospel.  Amen.

“When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion” (Matthew 26:1-2).

He who knew no sin became our sin.  He who is eternal submitted Himself to death.  He took upon Himself our death and gave us His life.  God, who knows all things, has done things that we are barely able to begin to grasp.  All who come under His grace will be recreated into new and everlasting creatures to be like Christ.  This is the offer of salvation, that we walk trusting Him always and believe He will make of us what He promised.

God of all creation, I am often puzzled by the course of events that I read.  I ask so many questions, but all things are in Your hands, and You ask me to simply trust You.  Lord, You know that I am wrapped up in myself.  Unwrap me and help me to put You on so that I may see things through Your eyes.  You are the greater and I am the lesser.  You are the author, and I am what You have created.

Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew in me a right spirit.  Take not Your Holy Spirit from me but restore unto me the joy of Your salvation.  Kindle in me a heart of grace, mercy, and love so that I humbly walk according to Your direction and lead a life in service of You who first served me.  Prepare me for the eternal way of living that I might reflect Your light in this world of rebellion.  Amen.