Picture this: you are a criminal, sentenced to die a slow and painful death. Dying beside you are two other men. One is another criminal, sentenced to die because of his actions. But the other is an innocent man. He has done absolutely nothing wrong and even claims to be God.
He doesn’t deserve the sentence He’s been given. In the midst of your agony, you overhear the other criminal taunting and mocking the innocent man…what do you do? What do you say?
Jesus was crucified with two other criminals – one on His left, and one on His right. The man on His left chose to taunt him, saying, “Are you, not the Christ? Save yourself and us” (Luke 23:39)!
But the man on His right chose a different response: “This man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:41-42).
The second criminal knew he had done wrong and recognized his need for Jesus. In his final hour of agony, Jesus chose to offer mercy…to a criminal.
Jesus offers this same mercy to you every day. He will not forget you, and He will not break his promises to you. So take heart and do not fret.
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