Is This How The Story Ends?
He was a criminal
Who knew he’d done wrong
He deserved to hang there and feel the excruciating agony of a slow death
Luke 23 doesn’t mention his crime
Just his punishment
Is this how the story ends?
He listens to the soldiers mocking Jesus
The other, more cynical criminal joins in the banter
“You’re supposed to be the Anointed One, right? Well-do it! Rescue Yourself and us!”
The criminal tells him to be quiet
Does he let the other criminal heap more humiliation onto this innocent man beside him?
He’s so close to Jesus yet so far away from Him
Is this how the story ends?
The criminal uses what little strength he has left to speak up again
“Don’t you have any fear of God at all? You’re getting the same death sentence He is! We’re getting what we deserve since we’ve committed crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong at all! (turning to Jesus) Jesus, when You come into Your kingdom, please remember me.”
And in that moment, it was as though the criminal had taken a quill, dipped it in ink and wrote the last line of his story
He decided how his story was going to end
In the throes of gut-wrenching pain, Jesus looks at the criminal
Who had chosen to write the end of his story
With deep compassion
And said to him
“I promise you that this very day you will be with Me in paradise.”
After many years of living selfishly
The criminal is welcomed into paradise by Jesus
Because both men saw something in each other, that nobody else saw
=)
My mum and dad have just celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary
50 years of marriage!
*High fives all round*
I remember when my sister and I were growing up, it wasn’t always a happy home
The arguments
The throwing things at each other
The threats to leave
Followed by…
The ‘silent treatment’
Is this how the story ends?
After many years of living selfishly
Jesus came
And they saw something in each other, that nobody else saw
Over time
He rescued and restored my mum and dad’s marriage
It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination
But with Jesus
They make it work
They chose the ending of their story
We threw them a surprise party for their 50th Anniversary
I picked them up from their house while everyone waited at the restaurant
They arrived at the chorus of, “For they are jolly good fellows!”
Taking my seat as it was mum and dad’s ‘moment’
My husband leaned over and whispered to me
“Did you drive down the back road?”
“Yes”
“Did you avoid all the potholes?”
*eye roll*
My inner voice said in a sarcastic tone, “No dear, I hit every single one of those potholes, because my day would not be complete without a flat tyre!”
But I refrained
And I smiled
And we enjoyed the celebrations
Because
Jesus has welcomed me
An imperfect human being
Into paradise
And so, I made a choice
I choose my story
And I will write how it’s going to end
Wendy xo
Wendy
March 29, 2017Love it Wendy. You write so well.
It’s not over! Even if we feel we’re hanging on the cross it’s not over! And huge congrats to your folks as well. ??????
Wendy Parker
March 29, 2017Thanks Rohan,
Your story isn’t over until you draw you final breath! And, for my parents to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary means that miracles do still happen 😉
M&D
March 30, 2017Wendy that was from the heart, you uplift us each week and give us something to think about, thank you.
Wendy Parker
March 31, 2017My pleasure =)
Leonie Schlosser
April 14, 2017Good Post Wendy, so True we get the choice, and with Jesus it makes the choice a much better.
Wendy Parker
April 20, 2017Amen sister!