Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise." (NIV)
Thoughts
My son's first big game kill was a Javelina he killed on the last day of a three-day hunt. In 2002, my son killed an elk on the fifth day of a six-day hunt. In the fall of 2001, I killed an elk on the fifth day of a six-day hunt. (Is there a pattern here? Maybe we should sleep in on those first four days and just go out on the fifth day!)
As I write this, I think of how many times I've walked into camp late in the morning, not paying attention to my hunting, only to have an animal I hadn't seen jump up and startle me - one that if I'd been hunting I might have seen and been able to kill. The problem was, I had given up, I'd quit hunting; I had reached the point where I thought the hunt was all over and that I had no chance of finding and killing an animal.
The thief on the cross had to have had similar thoughts. I can picture him saying to himself, "Today's my day to die. It's all over. In a few hours I'll be dead and I have no hope." But, what the thief didn't know was that one of the other criminals being crucified that day was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Son of Almighty God.
What specifically it was that Jesus did to open the thief's eyes to this we don't know for sure, yet, we do know this: God opened both his eyes and his heart, just as He does for all sinners who find the truth and accept Him. Because of God's love, this man repented and asked Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. And we also know this: Jesus forgave him and promised him that he would be with Him in paradise, that day! Jesus gave the man the one thing he desired, hope!
(Cliff S)
Action Point
Wherever you are in your walk on this Earth, a young pup or long in the tooth, it's never too late to turn to Jesus. He is there with arms open wide just as He was for the dying thief.
Turn to Him today, ask Him to forgive your sins and to come into your heart. Don't worry about the words you use, Jesus will hear you and Jesus is faithful. He will do as He has promised. It's never too late!
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
From the first step out of your camp until you step back into camp, hunt! You never know where the animals will be. On a Javelina hunt this year we found the pigs 150 yds from our tent.
