I sat beside his hospital bed. He was so sick he could hardly lift his head from the pillow.I spoke to him about Jesus. He turned his head away. When he looked back at me there were tears in his eyes. " It's to late for that, I'm dying ',he said,' you don't know what I've done."
I took his hand and said gently," I'm not here to talk about what you've done I want to tell you what Jesus has done for you." I spoke to "John" about the love of God. That because of God's love He gave His only son that if anyone would believe in Him he wouldn't perish but have eternal life.
"John" told me again that it was too late. He told me he didn't have time to change.He had lived his life and made his mistakes and now it was over. That was when I told him about the thief on the cross.
It was the last day of his life and he was impaled on a cross. There was nothing left for him to do but die. He was aware of the pain, the remorse,and the mocking crowd. Through the haze of pain and grief he became aware of the men on either side of him.One shouted curses the other said,"Father,forgive them ,for they do not know what they are doing."
The criminal turned his face toward Jesus, it was all he could do.He said,"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him,"I tell you the truth,today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:42,43
Jesus,I explained ,is the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. All of humanity is on one side of the cross or the other. We are all like the criminals crucified with Jesus. We either die in our sin cursing the Savior or by faith we turn our face to Him and cry out for mercy.
"John" prayed with me that day to accept God's gift of salvation. The next time I saw him was at his funeral but one day I will see him again in paradise.
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