The Last Hours of the Thief

{Photo credit to Waiting for the Word and Flickr Creative Commons}

 So I was at my youth group last night, and (long story short) someone was talking about the thief on the cross who repented, and that yes of course he was saved even though it was his last hours, because his heart truly realised what he'd done and was genuinely sorry, etc.

 And suddenly, sitting there on the floor, it hit me out of nowhere.

 What must have been going on in the thief's heart as he strained through his last hours on the cross, until the soldiers finally came and broke his legs.

 What a paradox those hours must have been!! Here he was, in the worst hours of his entire life, in excruciating pain, suffering for all the wrong he'd done. I can't imagine how dreadful that would be! And yet, it was also the best few hours of his life. He had been forgiven. Completely cleansed. He had been promised by the Messiah an eternity in heaven. What joy flooded his heart? What unexplainable relief and peace washed over him as he found what he had been longing for all his life?What revelations did he have as his entire life was put in perspective, as the history he had surely been taught suddenly make sense? What discoveries did he make about the character of God, who's very Son lay gasping a few feet away for having done nothing wrong? 

 Of course, I can only speculate. But it was just so cool to think of what must have been going on for that thief who Jesus forgave because he humbly repented. I'm looking forward to getting to heaven and asking him about it!

Cassie xoxoxo

P.S. See Luke 23:26-46 for the full story.