And the criminal said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43, ESV)
Alaska. Is. Massive. If you were to take Alaska and place it on the Continental U.S., you’d be shocked at how enormous it is. In fact, according to the Alaska Bureau of Land Management, from north to south, it would reach from Barrow, MN, to Jacksonville, FL, and from east to west, it would extend from Savannah, GA, to Santa Monica, CA. Alaska. Is. Massive.
Did you know that in all those 665,400 square miles of The Last Frontier, Alaska only has 20-something golf courses? That’s remarkable. By comparison, Rhode Island, the smallest state in the Union, has 61 golf courses, and you could fit 425 Rhode Island’s in Alaska!
Those facts are so intriguing and insightful. Especially when golf facts are so shocking… like only 20-something courses in such a massive area.
Did you also know that God’s mercy is limitless and that no one is out of His reach?
All four Gospels give an account of the crucifixion of Jesus, and Luke 23:32-33, 39-43 provide the most detailed view of Jesus with two criminals who were crucified next to Him. One of the criminals rebuked Jesus, and the other pleaded for mercy.
And the criminal said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
He knew who Jesus truly was; by all accounts, these criminals did not deserve God’s mercy. Yet, this criminal, who most assuredly considered himself out of the reach of God’s forgiveness, who was convinced that his past transgressions disqualified him from God’s mercy, was forgiven as he confessed his faith in Jesus.
Scripture teaches that God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Scripture also teaches that we, all of humanity, are flawed (see 1 Kings 8:46; Proverbs 20:9; Romans 3:23) and, without Christ, are enslaved to unrighteousness.
Granted, some practice unrighteousness at an obscene level, but all of us were born in sin (Psalm 51:5) and are distant from God (Ephesians 2:13).
As Jesus hung in innocence amidst heinous men whose crimes earned death by crucifixion, Jesus still showed mercy to the one who cried for grace.
No matter how awful a life has been lived, how many bad decisions litter the past, or how unworthy you consider yourself to be, you are not too distant from God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Reject the idea you’ve done too much evil in your life to be accepted by God. Call out to God for forgiveness. You’re not out of His reach.
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. My soul is also greatly troubled. (Psalm 6:2-3)
Prayer: Father, I now know that you are willing and ready to forgive me regardless of how bad my past is. Forgive me for all I have done, and may I live under your Lordship.