August 29: Remember me

Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.”    (Luke 23:39-43 — Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Here are two men, both are criminals, both are being executed for their crimes, but each has a different heart. Both see Jesus and hear His words on the cross, both see His patient suffering, both hear the mocking of the mob and the religious rulers — but the similarity ends there. One hurls insults at Jesus just like everyone else, whereas the other criminal rebukes him for his disrespect, and defends Jesus. From what he had seen and heard, he had come to some amazing conclusions about Jesus. He knew that He was innocent of any wrong, that He was destined to be a king, and that He could give Him salvation if He wished.

Look at the incredible mercy and forgiveness of the Lord Jesus for this man — clearly the other thief could have been saved if he had only allowed faith to enter his heart. This proves that people can find salvation even on their deathbeds, and that people who have been violent and sinful for many years of their lives can be saved within the last hours, days, weeks, or months of their lives. But this should not encourage anyone to put off this crucial decision because we never know when our last day will be.

Jesus promised that this man would be with Him in paradise that very day. Paradise is where the saved go when they die to await the second coming of Christ and the resurrection of their bodies. It’s a place of happiness where they are in the presence of Jesus, Abraham, and all the other men and women of faith who have lived throughout time. It is something we need to continually hope for, and when life on earth gets frustrating and tedious, the knowledge of this place should inspire and push us forward. Many sermons and books are written about love and faith, and few speak about hope. But hope is one of the vital attitudes we need to keep alive inside of us. The hope of heaven is what strengthened martyrs of the past to stay faithful in the face of death, and the hope of heaven is what will keep the fear of God alive inside of us, and the motivation to keep on going in spite of the obstacles and disappointments we face.

If you’re already saved, hold on to it tightly; if you’re not, imitate the wise thief and grab a hold of your salvation right away.