Please accept Him. Please go to Him. This Sunday, April 16, we celebrate His Resurrection. I don't mind the candy or the rabbits or the Easter Egg Hunts or the Ham Dinner. All of it is glorious, especially when we participate with gratefulness.
Jesus promised He'd be with us till the end (Matthew 28:20). He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He chose us to bear fruit, and to be His friends (John 15); but we can't understand any of this if we haven't come to Him in our need and desperation.
That's all the guy said. He didn't say a confession, believe, adoration prayer. He just asked Jesus to remember Him.
Jesus replied, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:43.
All you got to do is talk to Him. He's right there with you. He won't turn you into some freak. Sure there are some of us Christians that are freaky, but have you noticed there are people who are not Believers at all who are freaky too? People who have accepted Christ Jesus are just like others accept that they are forgiven. They aren't any better (though hopefully they are progressing on their spiritual journeys); they aren't in any way perfect (there has only been one perfect Man and He's the one we're talking about); they get mad and some of them cuss and some of them drink and some of them do really bad things you and I can't even fathom. But that doesn't mean Jesus failed or their religion didn't stick. If you see Believers like that, you don't know how far they might have come already. We are all a work in progress. And God never gives us on us. Never, ever.
"I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6.
Don't let anything get in your way to Jesus. Don't let your pride get in the way. Don't let other people or your own dreams and plans get in the way. Do you know that God created you and He actually has an incredible dream just for you? It is one perfectly suited to you for He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows what makes you wonderfully happy. He is the God of restoration. He can even heal hurts from the past! He doesn't actually change the past but He can give you new eyes for it. He can heal you so it doesn't have a hold on you anymore.
Why do you wait? Don't wait. Today is the day of salvation. Oh, I'm sorry there have been some of us Christians who have messed with you in the past. But don't let their bad behavior stop you from doing the very best thing you can do - - accepting Jesus Christ.
If you have kids you understand this -- you don't control them. Sure, you can guide them. Sure, you can tell them right from wrong. Sure, you can make sure their days are filled with good instruction and educational programs. But there comes a day when they fly away and many of them fall terribly at first. Is that our fault? Many will blame the parents. But dear, if we are adults it isn't the parents' fault. It is the young adult's fault. Same goes for God and His kids. He is the perfect parent. Yet, many, many of His kids fail and fall back and mess up. Is it God's fault? No. But He can turn anything around to reflect Him and do good things in our lives. Seriously -- ANYTHING!
Well, It is 10:23 p.m. here. I haven't stayed up this late for a long time. I"m usually in bed by 9, but I'm a bit spry tonight. But I need to head to bed. Wake up smiling April 16 (and every day after if you can). Jesus is here. He is alive. He loves you and me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!