Luke 23
39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”
40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
This man was doing the wrong thing, at the wrong place, at the wrong time -- he committed a crime, was caught and sentenced to death by crucifixion.
To any casual observer, being hanged on a cross is the wrong place to be.
However, this was not any crucifixion; this crucifixion was of two criminals and a Savior.
Both had an opportunity.
One rejected.
One accepted.
For the one who recognized Him, he was in the right place at the "wrong" time.
Had he escaped the crucifixion, which was surely his preference, he would have missed Paradise, as well.
To meet Christ, he had to go to the "wrong" place (humanly speaking).
How many times do we try to escape the bad things -- the situations that make us uncomfortable, or the situations that break us?
Some of us, like the thief, are in situations of our own making. We sin, we break fellowship, we are stubborn, arrogant, and proud. We put ourselves in the wrong place, but God can still bring us to the right place.
But, sometimes, God let's us go to the "wrong" place so He can reach us and we can see His glory.
The preacher who feels discouraged and ineffective because "no matter what" nothing ever changes.
The missionary who preaches and ministers for years and never sees a convert.
The Christian who lives and witnesses at work only to be ridiculed and ostracized.
The parent with the wayward son.
The child who is abused by the one he loves the most.
The saint who has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
The family who has just lost everything in a fire.
The workers at a factory that has just announced a massive layoff.
All feel very much like the "wrong" places -- the places we don't want to be.
They are the places we want to escape.
They are the dark places.
They are the places that hurt.
They are the places without hope.
THAT is where we can meet Jesus.
Jesus takes the "wrong" places, and makes them right.
1 comment:
I am glad that He just doesn't take the wrong place and makes them right but He also takes the "wrong" people and makes them right. I am one. Thanks for a unique reminder of Rom.8:28 Karma.
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