An Intimate Moment with a Thief

I’ve always wondered…why two other thieves? Why not one or four or none? It makes sense that it would work out that there would be two others - one to represent all the evil that had surrounded Jesus’ ministry as one thief joined in on the name calling, giving Jesus a hard time about being the true Messiah as he hangs helpless on a cross. The second thief would represent all that had been good about the ministry of Jesus Christ – the second thief seeing how Jesus handled himself in the face of diversity and then ended up realizing (as so many others had) that this man was truly different – truly special.

But I can’t help but to focus on the fact that there are three crosses on the hill that day and any time I hear something appearing in three’s I automatically think of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It also reminds me of the passage of time: Past, Present and Future. What seems remarkable to me is that Jesus (if I’m not mistaken) hung between the two thieves and in both the examples that I have just cited, He represents the middle one as well. He was the "Son" and He was in the "Present." For some reason, this really stuck with me as I was reading this.

I also remember Claire showing me the "god-incidence" of Jesus becoming a carpenter and now, at the end, was here hanging from a wooden cross. The symbolism of that is so powerful to me – almost as much as the symbolism of him wearing the crown of thorns that she explained yesterday.

But what gets to me the most is the thought that He’s hanging on a cross, dying of asphyxiation and He’s STILL ministering to others. Saving souls. Calling them home to be with Him.

And then to finish His life with the words, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." No gnashing of teeth. No cussing from the pain or futile promises of revenge. No performing of miracles to save himself. Just total acceptance at that point – and knowing that for all the pain – both physical and mental – He was on the verge of going home, knowing He had made the world right again with His bodily sacrifice.

As was the case with Jesus, I also had cause this past weekend to think about how close I came to death in order to start my "new life." I was so far off track at one point but now have been called back home to the arms of my Savior.

I also realize, too, that I am no better than a common thief when attempting to stand before my Him. Now that I think about it, He redeems my past and He promises me my future while He stands beside me in the present. (I KNEW that kept popping into my mind for a reason!)

This whole time period is so full of symbolism that I'm actually having trouble even putting all my thoughts down on paper. The one thing that does speak to me is how things seem to come full circle here - from the first day in the Garden of Eden to the last day of Jesus' life...it all wraps together in a story that only God could have thought of.

To me, the thiefs were such a minor part in all this and yet they symbolize the very essence of who Jesus Christ was to us. He forgave the one who mocked Him and he restored the one who called out to Him - just as He did throughout His entire life. He was constant from beginning to end and that proves to me that He is constant in my life even now. I can depend on Him to see inside my heart and forgive me when I need it as well as restore my life to me when it is taken away some day.

I can rest in that thought.