Articles
A Peep Inside Ourselves
How often do you look in the mirror? No, not the one over the bathroom sink, but the one that let's us look inside ourselves!
Before He was arrested, Jesus told his 12 disciples that one of them would betray Him. Without a doubt, they started looking around the room at each other's faces, because 11 of them knew they had no such intention. Yet, they also had a faith in Jesus that caused them to understand He knew indeed one of them would turn his back on Him.
Scripture doesn't tell us how long it took, but it says they "began" every one of them to say "Lord, is it I?" (Matt 26:20-22) Innocently, they had to look inside of themselves, and willingly examine their own character. I can't imagine what it would feel like to go from what was probably laughter and smiles to hurt and the feeling of impending personal doom, and having to look Jesus in the face and ask "is it I"!
We do notice that Judas was silent, and only said "is it I" after Jesus plainly pointed him out (Matt 26:25). He knew his own heart already, but the other 11 were in the process of a self examination as Judas was identified by Jesus. We don't know, but it would stand to reason that some, if not all of them questioned if they were capable of falling away, and becoming the one.
What do you think some of them discovered in those few moments? Did they trust that Jesus knew their hearts better than they did? Do we trust He knows us like that today? He does! My challenge today is for all of us to examine our hearts, and renew our devotion, so that we are never capable of deserting Jesus. We need to examine ourselves daily to see if we are "in the faith" (James 1:23-25).
