No regrets, no remorse in 2007

2006 was a great year in many respects, but I am really excited about 2007. I was thinking about Judas Iscariot today (I know - not your typical New Years Day hot topic, but my Bible reading came from Matthew 27:3, 4 so stay with me here and I think you'll see my point).

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

What hit me was here's a man, Judas, who spent years of his adult life around Jesus. He witnessed Jesus do many miracles, heard him pray, seen his compassion first-hand, and experienced his grace yet he never really took the time to know who Jesus was and what he was about. The last part of verse 3 is what caught my attention: "he was filled with remorse." I think he finally truly understood, but it was too late. He spent years with the Savior and yet as his life, which he took himself because of this remorse and guilt, came to an end he realized everything he thought was important - money, prestige and material things - was nothing compared to what really mattered like developing a personal relationship with Jesus and allowing Him to change you.

I don't want to be filled with remorse at the end of 2007. I don't want to get so pre-occupied with things that I fail to get to know Jesus better. I want God's best for me and my family and sometimes I think that we can get so busy doing good things that we miss doing the best things. I want to take advantage of the opportunities God is going to give me to know him better and please Him more. Join me in making 2007 a year that we allow God to use us like never before so we can look back on January 1, 2008 and be filled with amazement, not remorse.