Mar 07 - AN AMAZING REQUEST

 “He said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise“ (Lk 23: 39-43).

Many believed on Christ when His ministry was at its peak. They saw His miracles – multiplying the loaves and fishes, healing those who came to Him of every kind of sickness and disease, raising the dead, etc. However, here is a man who accepted Jesus as his Saviour at a time when our Lord was physically very weak, and apparently could not even save Himself. He was bleeding and in great agony, deserted by His own disciples, condemned, mocked and jeered at by the people and the leaders. This malefactor was not converted on hearing a sermon or seeing a miracle. Many who saw Jesus’ miracles (who even saw Him raise Lazarus from the dead), did not believe! But here is a hardened criminal putting his trust in Christ in His weakest human form!

Many came to Christ for their material needs – for food, healing, deliverance from evil spirits, and for relief from numerous other problems. The thief on the cross probably had greater physical needs than anyone else. He definitely needed healing in his lacerated, bleeding body. He needed deliverance from his agonizing pains and from his imminent, hopeless death. Yet he asked Christ for none of those things. He asked for only spiritual salvation. All he asked for was that Jesus would remember him; that He would have mercy on him on judgment day. And of course, Jesus gave him “more abundantly than he could ask or think.” He asked for mercy for the remote future. Jesus gave him salvation ‘TODAY’! He asked only that Christ would “remember” him. Jesus replied, “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise!”

Dear reader, like this penitent thief, if you pray and seek things of eternal value, our Lord will do for you “more than you ask or think.”
 

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion