Walk of Life – Day 13 – March 2021 – The C R O S S of Calvary
Outcast to Heaven’s Citizen at the Cross
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
“There was I, hanging on a cross, the Lord Jesus next to me and another thief on the other side, I knew the other thief, we often committed crimes together and ultimately got caught together. It was a terrible day. The mob was more with many people mocking and screaming and accusing the Lord Jesus. I had heard about Him before. I once heard Him speak about a kingdom…did’nt care about it then. Here, as I hung on the cross, condemned for the numerous sins I had committed, I knew I deserved it. I lived a terrible life. I harmed so many people, destroyed so many homes and families, made life difficult for them, I was a terror, a curse to so many. And there next to me, bearing much more shame and agony was this man…Jesus of Nazareth. He lived a beautiful life. He did good wherever he went. He healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, raised the dead, spoke to sinners and publicans, showed love and compassion to sinners and publicans, lived an absolutely sinless life, I just cannot think of anything wrong that he did. He was blameless, perfect. I saw how the Pharisees treated him, how the soldiers mocked him, how the crowd cried crucify him. Barabbas deserved to die instead but here is this sinless man beside me. The soldiers said “If you are the Christ, save yourself”
As if that was not enough…my thief friend also mocked and said ” yes yes save yourself and us” Now this was too much, I told him ” We deserve the punishment, this man is blameless” and I told the Lord ” Remember me when you come into your kingdom”
He was bruised, thirsty, blood all over from the beatings and then he said “Truly today you will be with me in paradise” How loving were those words, I deserved to just die there and burn in hell fire forever…I deserved not one ounce of grace or mercy. But this man, the Son of God, just overlooked it all. He was paying the price of all my sins on that cross. He died for me also. And when I opened my eyes, yes I was in paradise…the most beautiful place. I do not deserve it at all. I am as much a sinner as the other thief. Grace, mercy, love found me on Calvary’s cross.”
It does mean so much when you actually imagine it from the perspective of that thief. How true of us also. Outcasts, people who did not deserve the grace of the Lord Jesus, destined to death and eternal hell fire…we found love at the cross. A small step of faith and the fountain filled with blood washed all my sins away.
There is a fountain fill’d with blood
Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there have I, as vile as he,
Wash’d all my sins away.
We do not deserve to receive the gift of eternal life. We did nothing to earn it. Let us be grateful and live a life worthy of the Lord. If you have not accepted Christ in your heart, come to Him…He will welcome you with open arms. No sin is too great or too small in God’s eyes. He hates sin but greatly loves the sinner. Never despise or forsake the Lord Jesus. Always remember the great price He paid for you.
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for your great and immeasurable love. Thank you for washing all me sins away. Thank you for one day I will see you face to face and rejoice in your presence.
