If anyone was ever worthless, this one was. If any man ever deserved
dying, this man probably did. If any fellow was ever a loser, this
fellow was at the top of the list.

Perhaps that is why Jesus chose him to show us what he thinks of the
human race.

Maybe this criminal had heard the Messiah speak. Maybe he had seen
him love the lowly. Maybe he had watched him dine with the punks,
pickpockets, and potmouths on the streets. Or maybe not. Maybe the
only thing he knew about this Messiah was what he now saw: a beaten,
slashed, nail-suspended preacher. His face crimson with blood, his
bones peeking through torn flesh, his lungs gasping for air.

Something, though, told him he had never been in better company. And
somehow he realized that even though all he had was prayer, he had
finally met the One to whom he should pray.

"Any chance that you could put in a good word for me?" (Loose
translation.)

"Consider it done."

Now why did Jesus do that? What in the world did he have to gain by
promising this desperado a place of honor at the banquet table? What
in the world could this chiseling quisling ever offer in return? I
mean, the Samaritan woman I can understand. She could go back and
tell the tale. And Zacchaeus had some money that he could give. But
this guy? What is he going to do? Nothing!

That's the point. Listen closely. Jesus' love does not depend upon
what we do for him. Not at all. In the eyes of the King, you have
value simply because you are. You don't have to look nice or perform
well. Your value is inborn.

Period.

Think about that for just a minute. You are valuable just because you
exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply
because you are. Remember that. The next time someone tries to pass
you off as a cheap buy, just think about the way Jesus honors you.and
smile.

I do. I smile because I know I don't deserve love like that. None of
us do. When you get right down to it, any contribution that any of us
make is pretty puny. All of us-even the purest of us-deserve heaven
about as much as that crook did. All of us are signing on Jesus'
credit card, not ours.

And it also makes me smile to think that there is a grinning ex-con
walking the golden streets who knows more about grace than a thousand
theologians. No one else would have given him a prayer. But in the
end that is all that he had. And in the end, that is all it took.

No wonder they call him the Savior.
_____________________________________
From No Wonder They Call Him the Savior
Copyright 1986, Max Lucado

That was the book that lead me to the Lord.

My DH sent it to me right after he was saved. I was messing around with Wicca, a fallen Catholic, just believing that it was ok to believe whatever I believed. And I accepted Jesus as my Savior after I read that book.

Thank you Debby. I so needed that today.

God is so good.

Isn't that an awesome read? (not the book, I haven't read it, just this exerpt) What a great message!

:amen: