Luke 23:43 The Second Saying from the Cross : “Today shalt Thou be with me in Paradise.”Father in Heaven and God of forgiveness, we thank you that Jesus identified Himself completely with sinful men. We praise you that one of His last works of grace was to save a repentant sinner form sin.

Today we find comfort in your outreach of love to those who need to place life’s heavy sin-burden on you. In the same manner that Jesus assumed the guilt and paid the thief’s debt of sin with His own blood once and for all we have His promise that He will accept those who come to Him for mercy.

For your marvelous, instantaneous, eternal life giving power we praise you. Teach us that anytime one is truly penitent you will remove all sin and give eternal life. May we not be deceived into thinking that we can wait until the last moment of life to repent for after a lifetime of sin our hearts may be so hardened that we cannot repent.

We thank you for the Cross – the experience in which lives can be changed and burdens lifted.
Draw this one who seeks you now to the Cross where life is found through the death of Christ.

Amen.