Michael Card was the first Christian artist I was exposed to during my non-Christian HS years. A timid looking guy in my bio class gave me a tape to listen to as a way to evangelize to me. I think it was called “Present Reality”. Strangely enough I took it and listened to it on my Walkman (remember those) and I liked it. It grabbed me in a different way. The music was kind of interesting but it was the words that did it. They gripped me.

Here’s a song by Michael Card I’ve been thinking about during this Passion Week. Speaking about Judas he sings, “Why did he use a kiss to show them. That’s not what a kiss is for. Only a friend can betray a friend. A stranger has nothing to gain. And only a friend comes close enough to ever cause so much pain.” In John 13, Jesus does not skip Judas when washing the disciples’ feet. Jesus’ love is not wavered by Judas’ betrayal. But shockingly, Judas goes ahead with his betrayal even after seeing a display of such love and servanthood. Judas’ betrayal is not wavered by Jesus’ love.

I am Judas. There are so many times I am unmoved by Jesus’ love and I go right ahead with my betrayal, my sin, my addiction, my selfishness. But there is hope for me as there was hope for Judas. I need to learn from his unrepentant ending. Only if he would’ve repented. “Only a friend comes close enough to ever cause so much pain.” Jesus let Judas get that close. Love lets the betrayer close enough in the hope that the power of Love may change his ways. Love lets the nails pierce his body so that we may be pierced by his love. There was hope for Judas. Only if he would’ve repented. Peter denied Jesus too! But he repented. That’s all it takes. “Sorry Lord” from the bottom of my heart touches God at the core of His.

And what is repentance? It is turning my mind, heart, will back in alignment with His mind, heart, and will. Sometimes, I linger in the midlands, unable to make up my mind. But there is true beauty on the Lord’s side. I need to move there through repentance. Move me Lord!

Lyrics:

Why did it have to be a friend
Who chose to betray the Lord
Why did he use a kiss to show them
That's not what a kiss is for
Only a friend can betray a friend
A stranger has nothing to gain
And only a friend comes close enough
To ever cause so much pain
And why did there have to be thorny
Crown pressed upon His head
It should have been the royal one
Made of jewels and gold instead
It had to be a crown of thorns
Because in this life that we live
For all who seek to love
A thorn is all the world has to give
And why did it have to be
A heavy cross He was made to bare
And why did they nail His feet and hands
His love would have held Him there
It was a cross for on a cross
A thief was supposed to pay
And Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away
Yes, Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away

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