WATCHWORD:
33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.
35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”
40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43 Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:33-43
“Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16
Meditation:
Lost and Found
The young couple stood at the door to the counselor’s office, and asked, ”Can we speak with you?” The counselor smiled and motioned for them to come in. The young man said to his friend, “You tell him.” She, in turn, said to him, in tears, “I can’t, you tell him”, and the story came out. It was a story of loss, loss of innocence. There had been an abortion five years before, at the age of 14, and the young woman was lost, deep in depression and delayed grief over her lost child.
By the time the story was fully told, the three were in tears. That was the start of a lengthy period of conversation and support. Eventually, the conversation turned to faith, the support of her parents, her circle of friends. At some point, months after her friend brought her to the counselor, she began to speak openly of her experience and the choice that was made for her, and how her faith and her friends had helped her move on.
Over the next three years, occasionally, across the campus, the counselor would see her, with friends, in Chapel, having lunch in the Union, at athletic events. She had become an active member of the student chapel committee, and often spoke or led discussions, occasionally declaring that her child was “with Jesus”. From all appearances, she was doing well, although there always seemed to be an edge of sadness to her smiles.
[Side Bar – We don’t really know the awfulness of abortion after-affects unless you have been through it. From a psychologist standpoint, there is a reality called Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome, listed in the The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5). It is a terrible process, even for a counselor. The American Medical Association went on record in 1871 to condemn the practice and published multiple articles in the AMA Journal. The most important point I want to make: Please do not condemn those who may have had an abortion. Pray for them, support them, and know that they bear a burden you can only imagine. The current “debate” between prolife and prochoice, too often, is divisive and not helpful, and ignores the human side.]
David Jeremiah, in a recent sermon, tells the story of a young mother who lost her second child to illness. Her first child, a little girl, asked where her little brother was, and her mother replied, “he’s with Jesus.” Sometime later, in a grief-edged conversation with a friend, the mother referred to the death as “the son I lost.” The little girl overheard that, and said to her mother, “No. He’s not lost, he’s with Jesus. If we know where he is, he is not lost, mommy.”
Someday, that mother and her son will be reunited. As I listened to Pastor Jeremiah’s sermon, I thought again of that young student so many years ago. She and her baby will be reunited also, in the love of our Lord.
I think about that often-repeated comment that I heard in the midst of grief, that the loved one had “stepped into the next room.” These stories are the same ones. We believe in our Lord and Savior, we know where we are going, that’s why we do not fear death. Since we know all of that, in the midst of the devastation of a “lost” loved one, our reunion with them is an eternal truth that we need to revisit, on occasion, because it will bring us peace.
“No. He’s not lost, he’s with Jesus. If we know where the babies are, they are not lost, mommy.” From the mouths of children… Amen.
–Stan
Morning Prayer:
O Lord, our God. Thou are holy and we are sinful; Thou are strong and we are weak; Thou are ever in the light, and we walk in darkness. Gives us Thy Spirit; that in penitence and trust we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. Enlighten our minds; purify our hearts; renew our will; and may we give ourselves wholly to Thee; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen,
