He hung there with Jesus for almost the entire six hours. We do not know
his name, he is only identified as the thief on the cross, but his words, and
the response of Jesus is taught worldwide in churches everywhere. “Tonight you
will be with me in paradise,” Jesus told him, when he asked to be remembered.
He recognized who Jesus was, his deity, and asked forgiveness. No ceremony, no
special prayer, he came face to face with God in his dying moments, and God
saved him. Today we see him as an example of the love of Jesus, offering and
giving salvation to all who seek and ask, right up until his death, but to those
who didn’t hear the conversation between the two he died a thief. A criminal,
an embarrassment to his family, and deserving of the punishment. They never saw
the transformation in the waning moments of his life, and forever knew him as a
loser, a sinner. No outward signs of change, there was no time for that. The
change came in the heart, the things not seen being eternal. But in heaven he
is known as a sinner saved by grace. All of his life of sin forgiven by Jesus
in his last hours, but his family unaware of who he had turned into, or who he
had turned to. No books to write, no testimony to share with his friends, he
died anonymously, yet publicly in shame, while at the same time fully pardoned
and forgiven by God. God had saved the best for last in his life, all his other
deeds would fade away someday, we know nothing else of him except he was a
thief, but forever in the Bible he will be remembered and taught about. With
Jesus getting all the credit, while he enjoys all the glory. Where is Hollywood
with a story like this?
While young we plan things, we set goals, we want to make money be
successful. But meanwhile we are starting careers, starting families, and
sometimes just trying to survive. We dream of the future, but become trapped in
today. Many times guided by what others think, and what impact they will have
on our reputation. We are young, have energy, and yet go to bed tired each
night. We are busy building something that can be taken away very quickly, and
when we least expect it. No matter our walk with Christ, the best gospel we
know and live is the one of ourselves. And this is the one that others see, and
remember. It is popular at funerals, to share memories of the deceased, good
times about them. But the service is really for us, and our memories of the
deceased. To comfort us in a bad time, to give us consolation when a loved one
dies, and to be reminded of how final death is. We seek to make a peace within,
so that we leave no guilt behind about things we said or did, that may have been
taken wrong. A time of confession for those who remain, the final lot of the
deceased is done. Tomorrow has arrived, and we find it is today. With only
yesterdays to remember.
We do not know the day we will die, we certainly didn’t know the day we
were to be born. Only God knows, and yet we live without regard of life in
him. While some build an inheritance, others wait to inherit it, and while some
live penniless, some die that way too. Yet we all have a value system, no
matter how angelic, or demonic we live by. We live life based on what we
believe, and often with us at the center. Unaware, or worse yet aware of the
consequences of our lives. No thoughts of tomorrow except of how we will live
in retirement, now if I can only get there. If I don’t get old and burn out to
quickly, and many in my generation have. It is only by the grace of God that
some of us are still here. But it brings up the question, how will you be
remembered?
Life happens when we least expect it. We think we are prepared and ready,
then God allows an event to show how much we need him. When I was sick and
needed to be life flighted, we weren’t prepared, but God had everything ready.
And as the helicopter warmed up in Durango, a group of 12-15 took me to the
launch pad, my wife and Dal among them. Neither was sure they would see me
again, I was out of it, heavily sedated so I could make the flight. But just as
they were loading me, my wife tells the story, of how I said “stop, we need to
pray.” And as she wondered of who was going to pray, hurry up he needs to go, I
began to pray for all there. The spirit of the Lord falling upon me, and
praying for others, while I was dying. An event I don’t remember, but love to
hear, giving all glory to God. It was Jesus who gave me the desire and the
words....and you know the rest of the story.
It was months later when considering what had happened when being loaded,
that God explained to me why and what had happened. He had given my wife a
precious gift of remembrance, for if I had died in flight, this would be her
last memory of me. This would be first among all stories told, more than of
raising kids, the many rides, and years of marriage. It would all come down to
my last words, just like it did for the thief on the cross. I would be in
heaven, but my family would be still here. And a loving God would give them a
memory, and a testimony to share with others to encourage and comfort. You see,
the whole scenario was never about me, although I was in the middle of it, it
was always about Jesus, and his love. And what a great way to be remembered, by
giving Jesus all the glory. And even though my mind was asleep, my spirit was
very much alive, and will be into eternity. And whenever that day comes, I look
forward to it, secure in the fact that Jesus saves, but what about those who are
still here?
A simple children’s prayer, “now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord,
my soul to keep,” has instructed many in early life about Jesus. Maybe so
simple we forget it as se get older. And a children’s song, “Jesus loves me
this I know, for the Bible tells me so...” is the gospel of life in song. Don’t
wait until your last breath, you don’t know when it will be, the thief missed
out on many years of blessings, but gained an eternal reward. Heaven is real
now, and is here now, on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus is calling today, his
spirit calling to you. Sadly a thief’s family never knew of his final words
before death, he died a sinner saved by grace, known only to God. The best way
to die, but also a good way to live. What will your last words be? When will
you say them? Who will be listening? Only God knows for sure, and he isn’t
telling. He offered my wife a great gift that day, based on a greater gift he
had given us years ago, his son. What you do with Jesus is up to you, but can
have profound lasting effects. How you will be remembered is important to those
who remain, who remembers you in heaven makes all the difference. For an
unnamed thief, it took a cross. Who without any teachings, prayers or good
works is in heaven with Jesus. Give it all to him today, be a testimony of his
saving grace now and for future generations. My words that day will be
forgotten, never let the words Jesus spoke to you be. How you will be
remembered will be dependent on who you knew, and he will remember you forever.
For a thief, and for the rest of us, it all takes place at the cross. The best
is yet to come.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com