“Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.
“Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.” Luke 22:1-6
“After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me… It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread.’ So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas… After he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly…’ So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.” John 13:21,26-27,30
Once Satan entered into Judas, this outlier disciple got to itching in a crowd. The more he was around those whose hearts grew warmer every day with Jesus, his cold and hardening heart grew ill at ease. Almost unimaginably, yet providentially, our Savior invited him and the others to join Him in the most intimate of Passover suppers. He even warned of temptation, of Satan‘s pressure on Peter. But Judas chafed at Jesus’s eyes, His attention, and departed into the night. Bent on rebellious treason against the King of kings, he preferred the dark, even cloaking his betrayal behind a kiss. (Luke 22:19-23,31-32,40,46-48; John 13:21-30)
Rebels against God do not like the light. They want to do their dirty work in cognito, in the absence of a crowd and notice, behind closed doors. But by God’s common grace, a crowd of a different sort can drive sinners to despair and repentance. A heart bent on separation from God can be flooded with misery, guilt, and conviction, as much as we want to push them down, and away. We may close off our ears or lock the latch on our secret darknesses, but the love of God pursues relentlessly. The Lord deals with individuals away from the crowd of the world to draw them to Himself. (Matthew 27:3-5; John 16:8)
In what situations do we try to hide, to escape notice from people around us, or the Lord, in order to avoid accountability or conviction? Are there activities we would rather not display, words we would rather not be heard, practices at work or conversations that we prefer to keep private? The Lord honors propriety, but uncovers shame to make things right. Are there places that need to come into the open to allow His cleansing?
What cloud of witnesses and crowd of encouragers has the Lord graciously provided to point out misdeeds and inspire our walk? How willing are we to seek them out and heed their admonitions? With whom do we need to speak truth in love to promote righteousness, reconciliation, healing? (Ephesians 4:15; Hebrews 12:1-3)
Lord, keep me pure in the private place and potent in the crowds You provide.
As the rain and snow 