I am drawn to the thief on the cross. It was actually the first time I recognized how hard I was working to obtain companionship with Jesus.
The thief on the cross was out of time. He really did get to experience the love of Jesus at first sight. He could not justify himself. He was unable to go fish for men, serve as a Sunday school teacher, or pay his tithe. Time was up.
His only act of salvation was, “Yes, Lord.”
When I came to this conclusion, I was faced with some regret. I had shelves lined with books and journals that all exposed my lack. I had tried so hard, for so long, to get it right and get right with God.
And this really cannot be defined as a healthy or loving relationship. It was during that unraveling the words, “Let Jesus be Jesus,” first came to me. I had tried to figure Him out for so long, and truly, He had morphed into my creation.
He was often mean, but that mean voice sounded an awful lot like my own. He was critical and I battled with condemnation over the tiniest thing, believing He was disgusted with me.
This really doesn’t make sense when you consider His conversation with the thief on the cross.
Jesus welcomed him. He didn’t ask him to list his trespasses or take a casserole to a new mom. No, He just said, do you believe? And He followed that with, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Surely few of us can fathom what it is like to know, this is the end of my life. I will not see the sunset. I will be tortured to death, today, right now. But I wonder what it was like for that scoundrel, right next to Jesus on a cross. Gasping for breath, bloodied and shamed, and knowing, “I have just met the love of my life, today I will be with Him in paradise. I am dying… and I am saved”
This just nearly leaves me breathless.
How could meeting this man, nailed to a tortured device, end with such a blessing? I propose it is because Jesus is simply love.
You can’t be kind of saved. If you are in a burning building and a fireman hands you a bucket of water, you might last a little longer. If the fireman carries you out of the fire and takes you across the street, away from danger, you’ve been saved from that tragedy.
Entirely saved. Oh, what joy! Now that is what I call some Good News.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
by Jami Amerine
Jami Amerine is an author, speaker, artist, wife, and mom. She and her husband, Justin live in Houston, Texas and have six children. She holds a Master’s of Education in Counseling and Human Development. Jami and Justin are advocates for foster care and adoption. Jami blogs at sacredgroundstickyfloors.com.
