One sentence

"Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom"

and He said,

"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise"

Luke 23:42-43

Jesus was planked by 2 thieves on the day he died. By all accounts these thieves had led a life of sin and only in those final moments did one of them come to know the Lord. Along with his counterpart, he had the closest view of anyone, actively dying beside a sinless savior. By all accounts we can presume he did not do morning devotions or donate to charity. He likely did not tithe, nor did he confess one sin hanging on that cross beside his savior. I bet he wasn't a regular attendee at the temple. He may have gossiped and cussed. He probably drank too much wine. Chances are he was raised with the customs of the Jewish law. He probably had heard of a savior they were all awaiting, but he left that upbringing a long time ago, trading it in for a fast life. Easy and abundant. 

The thief is the only name given to him in the story of Luke. This may have been what he had grown accustomed to being known as, maybe he had also decided that was all he was.  But today, on the day he was to die, he was given a promise of a new zip code. Paradise. 

But why?

He didn't deserve it, he didn't earn it. He didn't even promise to do better. He just asked to be remembered. But remembered for what, the question begs. For the life he led? For the good deeds undone? For the sin upon unconfessed sin? Or possibly he wanted Jesus to remember what they endured together that day. A cruel death on a cross, nailed hands, pierced ribs. 

Or maybe, the thief wanted to be remembered as someone more than a thief. A child of the one true God? Mercifully forgiven, simply by stating one sentence; "Remember me." And that He did. Jesus, in His last act of mercy before he breathed his last, promised the thief he would join him in paradise. Not because of a life well lived, well sacrificed, well measured, but because he asked Him. I imagine Jesus looking over at the thief's contorted, pain-stricken face as he posed this question to his Lord, and having mercy for his child. He responds, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise".

May we stop measuring our worth in deeds and donations. In checked boxes and casseroles. Join me in rejoicing in the fact that when we ask with a genuine, believing heart, He will give. He will give to the thief, to the sinner, to me and to you. One sentence leading to eternity.