Prepare for Easter

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

About My Father’s Business:

A Lenten Devotional Guide

                                                    

And [one of the criminals] was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And [Jesus] said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:42-43 NASB

The criminal was suffering the cross’s cruel death, just as Jesus was. Possibly he had not been beaten half to death before his crucifixion, and probably his hands and feet were only tied to the cross so that death was going to take a long time. Jesus, however, was probably near death when the criminal cried to him for mercy. We don’t know the man’s name, but his story is so important that it is recorded in the text for eternity.

Do you hear the good news in these words? As long as there is breath in us to cry out to Jesus, it isn’t too late! Notice the little word, “when”? “When you come in your kingdom….” Probably he had heard Jesus teach; maybe he’d heard about the miracles. We don’t know. We do know that he was an eye witness to Jesus’ death. He saw him being brutally treated and nailed to a cross. He heard him deny the drugged wine to ease his pain, and witnessed the manner in which he spoke carefully to John about his mother. Suddenly he knew Jesus was the Christ. He needed a Savior, and he cried, “Lord!” That’s all Jesus needed to hear.

Yes, he died on that cross the death of a criminal, but Jesus assured him and assures us that he died a criminal with a changed heart – his name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

We wouldn’t have wanted to miss all the years we’ve had as friends of Jesus, but how comforting to know as long as there’s breath, it isn’t too late.

Amazing Father, that eternity could be changed in a man’s last breath! Thank you for the forgiving word of Jesus for this man and the encouragement we have knowing as long as we breathe, it’s not too late.  Amen

About My Father’s Business:

A Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for First United Methodist Church
of Homosassa, Florida
Spring 2010
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator