Thief

written by Deborah Oakley

First Series Post:  Raise a Hallelujah
Previous Series Post:  Emma
Next Series Post:  Bless the Lord

When Jesus was on the cross, there were two thieves on either side of Him.  I’ve heard the story hundreds of times.  Heard plenty of sermons on it, too.  All the sermons and all my thoughts centered on how one of the bad guy thieves got to go to Paradise, in spite of what he’d done.  Nothing wrong with that message but, for some reason, one day as I listened to this song, another perspective jumped up in my face and took my breath away.

I’d never before thought of this story from Jesus’ perspective.  Now, every time I hear this song, His perspective is the one that captures me.

The Bible tells us Jesus came down to Earth and lived life in our shoes.  He went through all the stuff we go through.  Love, joy, pain, betrayal, disappointment.  And living a life of faith – trusting what we can’t see.  Nothing easy about that.  We know very well what those things feel like.  So, put yourself in His place as He hung on the cross.

He knew He was where He was supposed to be.  He knew He was doing what He was supposed to be doing.  And yet He was doing it all on faith.  He’d set aside His omnis (omniscient, omnipresence, …) and chosen to live mortal life in a vessel of clay, just like us.

He’d traveled with His disciples for somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 years.  He’d poured Himself into them.  He preached to the people, healed the sick, brought the dead back to life, and basically gave all of Himself to the people around Him.  And, in thanks, one of His disciples sold Him out for a paltry sum, the rest of His disciples deserted Him, and the people He healed chose a murderer over Him and turned Him over to be tortured and executed.

On top of that, He’d taken on the sin of EVERYONE.  You know how much your own sin burdens you.  How much worse if you had to carry your neighbor’s, and your cousin’s, and some guy in the next state you’d never even met, … On top of that, His Father, with Whom He’d been connected always, had to turn away because of that sin He didn’t deserve.  Yes, He knew things would happen that way, but that doesn’t mean it hurt any less.

And let’s not forget the devil.  You know how he operates.  No doubt he was howling with glee in Jesus’ ear.  “You failed!  It was all a waste. They turned away from You and chose me instead.  It was all for nothing!”  Jesus was facing Death, hoping in the promise His Father had given Him.  But, at that moment, it was still an unfulfilled hope.  Faith or not, things must have seemed pretty bleak.

And then, that one thief.  “Remember me when You when You come in Your kingdom.”

‘One!  There’s one!’

What a gift that thief was!

Thief – Third Day

I am a thief, I am a murderer
Walking up this lonely hill
What have I done? No, I don’t remember
No one knows just how I feel

And I know that my time is coming soon

It’s been so long, oh, such a long time
Since I lived with peace and rest
Now I am here, my destination
I guess things work for the best

And I know that my time is coming soon

Who is this man? This man beside me
They call the King of the Jews
They don’t believe that He’s the Messiah
But somehow, I know that it’s true

They laugh at Him in mockery
And they beat Him ’til He bleeds
And they nail Him to the rugged cross
They raise Him, yeah, they raise Him up next to me

My time has come and I’m slowly fading
I deserve what I receive
Jesus when You are in Your kingdom
Could You please, please remember me?

And He looks at me still holding on
The tears fall from His eyes
And He says I tell the truth
Today, you will be with Me in paradise

And I know that my time, yes my time is coming soon
And I know that my time, yes my time, is coming soon
And I know Paradise, Paradise is coming soon

Next Series Post:  Bless the Lord