As I am going through my morning routine and getting ready
to for the day, I often listen to music.
A song came on that I have really liked and listened to many times and
the Holy Spirit just spoke to me. I was
deeply moved by the lyrics to this song and it got me thinking. Out of those thoughts, came this devotion.
The song is “How Love Wins (Thief)” by Steven Curtis
Chapman. It is on an amazing album
titled “The Story”. The album has songs
based on stories from the Bible. Most of
them are the well known stories that we teach our young children in Sunday
School. This one is slightly different;
it’s about one of the thieves that hung next to Jesus as they were crucified.
In all four gospels, the thieves are briefly mentioned, but
in Luke, there is a little more to the thief’s stories.
Read Luke 23:26-38 The Crucifixion
Read Luke 23:39-43 The Theives
Notice Thief 1 (we will call him). He reacts as some of us would in crisis by
panicking and bargaining. Thief 2,
however, rebukes the first thief and says, “Look dude, we totally deserve our
punishment. We asked for this, but
Jesus, He’s hanging here and hasn’t done anything to deserve it.” Then, he turns to Jesus and asks Him to
remember him when He goes back to His Kingdom.
And, in turn, Jesus says, “I’ll see ya there!” (Paraphrased, of course)
What got me about this today was the fact that the thief,
who had obviously lived a life of crime, in his most sovereign moment, asked
for Jesus to save him. He wasn’t
bargaining or panicking. He was
sincere. He had to be, or Jesus wouldn’t
have forgiven him.
So many questions came to me after thinking about this,
studying it, and listening to the song several more times. The first was, which thief would I identify
with? In crisis, do I blame God or do I
turn to Him? Do I praise Him in my
suffering? Do I run to His open loving
arms like I should or do I self-soothe and self-loathe? Do I seek earthly things to “help” me through
my tough times or do I seek Jesus? How
about you?
We have all heard about death bed confessions, but we have
proof that this one was legit. Jesus
could see into Thief 2’s heart and he was sincere. This made my mind switch gears and think
about my own death. These two men knew
without a doubt that their hours were limited and death was eminent. I, at this time, don’t know when I will
die. I am not sick, it could happen at
any moment. Am I truly ready for Jesus
to take me home right this second? I
don’t mean am I ready to die. I mean, am
I completely, without a doubt right with God?
Do I fulfill the reason He put me here?
Am I doing everything in my life like the Lord is watching me? Do I consult Him before decisions? Do I talk to Him? Do I LISTEN to Him? Am I living the life that God designed for
me, the one He put me here for? Are
you?
I have witnessed a few beautiful deaths of fellow
Christians, who in their most painful moments, trusted and believed in
God. They had faith that got them
through the toughest times. Their
families had faith that gave them peace during the suffering. That same faith will lead them to a reunion
that my mind can’t even fathom. That
unmistakable example of faith is absolutely amazing. To watch someone you love celebrate the Lord
in their most painful moments and have faith to the very end has just left me
in complete awe. Those actions and
beliefs also have brought many unbelievers to Christ through their suffering.
Which bring me to Christ, to His love. He, in His darkest human moment, saved that
thief. He put aside His own agony and
saved the last soul He ever would as a man.
I encourage you to listen to the whole song, from the thief’s point of
view. I will include the lyrics at the
end as well, but for now, let me share the chorus.
This is how Love wins
Every single time
Climbing high upon the tree
For someone else, to die
This is how Love heals
The deepest part of you
Letting Himself bleed into
The middle of your wounds
This is what Love sends
Standing at the door
You don’t have to be
Who you’ve been before
Silenced by His voice
Death can’t speak again
This is how Love wins
Isn’t that just the most beautiful thought? His love conquers all of my sins, all of
yours, heals us, comforts us, and becomes a part of us. And as we breathe our final breathe, He says
that we will only live again. He
silences death! That is a-mazing! That is the power of Christ’s love. Not only did He conquer His own death, but
He’s going to conquer mine (and yours) too!
I encourage you to just breathe in the Holy Spirit today and let Him
touch you like he did me today!
Lord, I come to you today as a humble and thankful
servant. It’s so easy to get caught up
in this world and the things going on around us that I don’t spend enough quiet
time with you. Thank you for that
reminder today. Thank you for the power
of music and how it spoke to me this morning.
Please help me to remember that though we may pray so hard sometimes for
things to happen, You are in
control. Everything is in Your time, not
mine. I know You are watching out for
the good of all of us, that You won’t ever give us anything we can’t handle and
that You never leave or forsake me.
Thank you for continuing to teach me Your ways and welcome me back into
Your loving arms even when I fail You. I
am so thankful for Your plan, the one You have for me. But most of all, I am thankful for
Jesus. Thank you for making me white as
snow over and over again. I love you and
it’s in your son’s precious and holy name I pray, Amen.
