“And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:42-43 (RSV)
The church is made up of imperfect human beings, but in spite of all our flaws and failures, the desire to keep seeking God, is in itself, pleasing to Him. When God sees our heart’s desire to seek Him or to please Him, or to receive His mercy, He always responds.
God is not looking for perfect people, but for people with desire for Him. If He was looking for flawless people, He wouldn’t have chosen the twelve disciples, King David, Mary Magdalene or the woman at the well, who all had a history of flaws and weaknesses.
God looks for the desire in every heart and in seeing the desire for Him, He works in that life, as He overlooks and forgives their flaws. His nature is goodness and in His goodness, He opens the door of grace and mercy keeps flowing out on us as long as we live.
The thief on the cross didn’t do one thing right or good throughout his entire lifetime. He caused a lot of pain to others, by stealing from them and probably much more, until he ended up nailed to a cross, in pain and regret.
The thief had nothing to offer at that point, except a repentant heart and a desire for mercy. Jesus looked at him, and said the words anyone would want to hear,
“Today, you will be with Me in paradise.” Repentance leads us to desire and desire reaps mercy.
The thief on the cross teaches us something mysteriously profound. He didn’t have anyone’s intercession praying for him, no one led him to pray a special prayer of salvation, and he never did a single good deed. In fact, he probably never did one righteous act in his entire life, except in that final moment. His desire for God came to the surface, then he turned his head toward Jesus, and the rest is eternity.
God said if we search for Him with all our heart, we will find Him, because God reads hearts. The word of God illustrates His mercy from Genesis to Revelation, but the most perfect expression of mercy is when God took on human flesh. Jesus showed us through the cross, that God’s mercy comes to those who desire it, because no one deserves it. He showed us through the thief on the cross, the prodigal son story, and by His interaction with tax collectors and prostitutes. He taught beyond words, showing us by giving Himself, that mercy is the greatest gift, and it’s totally free.
It’s a mysterious truth, but mercy comes out of desire. Supernatural things happens when desire leads us to seek God and His mercy. Putting ourselves in the place of that thief, we turn to look at Jesus, and say,
“Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus still speaks those same words to anyone who asks that of Him, because heaven is timeless and grace always abounds.
Many of Jesus’ messages are about searching and seeking, which all begins in the heart. He told us to seek first His kingdom, and seeking His kingdom first, starts with a desire in the heart. Forgetting all of the failures, and all the successes, and forgetting what lies behind us, let us awaken ourselves from drowsiness, and renew our heart’s desire for God and His mercy.
Lord, we desire more of you, and we believe in your boundless grace and mercy. Help us to keep turning our heads toward you, with a desire to seek you above all else, every day of our lives. Amen