A few days ago, I received a gift in the mail from a man named Wade. It was a beautifully painted rock:
I was touched by Wade's kindness. The painting brings to mind one of my favorite stories about Jesus. On the day of his death, Jesus was crucified between two criminals. This scene happens to include Jesus' second statement from the cross:
One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you're at it!"
But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."
And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:39-43, NLT)
I've written about Jesus' encounter with the criminal in both my devotional books. To me, it is the ultimate "Nobody Left Out" story. There are so many angles we can look at it from. But today, I want to zero in on Jesus' assurance that this broken man would soon be with him in paradise.
As Christians, I think we need a better theology of heaven. We often view heaven as a place God will whisk us away to so we can escape this sinking ship of a world. In reality, God will one day bring heaven to earth and make all things new. It will be a great day, but what about in the interim? What happens after we die but before God sets all things right? Jesus tells this criminal he will be with him in paradise. Paul echos this when he says, "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8)
But what makes "paradise" paradise? Is it a permanent suite in a fancy hotel on a luxury island? Or is paradise simply being in the presence of Jesus?
And if it is... Is that what we long for?
It can be so easy to view Jesus as a means to an end. Even when we talk about the afterlife, we often see Jesus as the way to get us into the "good place." But what is it about the "good place" that makes it a good place to be?
Imagine if I looked at my wife after we got married and said, "I'm so glad we're married because now I get to move into a new house and open all the wedding gifts." (Don't worry, I didn't do that, even though we got some sweet gifts!)
Somewhere along the line, we started doing something similar with Jesus. We've made heaven the biggest "benefit" to having a relationship with Jesus. But really, the biggest benefit to having a relationship with Jesus is Jesus himself!
Joni Eareckson Tada has been paralyzed for decades due to a diving accident when she was a teenager. She was asked what she most looked forward to in heaven. Her answer amazed me:
I can't wait to be clothed in righteousness. Without a trace of sin. True, it will be wonderful to stand, stretch, and reach to the sky, but it will be more wonderful to offer praise that is pure. ... My heart will join with yours and bubble over with effervescent adoration. We will finally be able to fellowship fully with the Father and the Son.
The thing Joni longs for most about heaven isn't to be free of pain. It's to be free of the sin that causes pain to others. Is that what I long for? On most days, it's not.
Sometimes people will say to me, "I can't wait to see you in heaven with your new body." (To which I reply, "Likewise." Kidding.) I understand what they are saying. They can't wait to see my body restored and free of cerebral palsy. And you know what? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited about that too. One of my dreams is to play the piano. I can't wait for my friend Marco to give me piano lessons in the new earth. But I hope I'm more excited about being with Jesus.
This month, I've been reading the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy documents Moses' final speech to the Israelites before they cross over to the Promised Land. He won't be going with them, and so he reminds them to cling to God with all they've got.
"You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone." (Deuteronomy 10:20, NLT)
The thief on the cross clung to Jesus desperately. He had no hope left, but then Jesus made him a promise. Crucifixion was a slow, excruciating death. As the painful hours ticked by, the thief clung to that promise. But more than that, I'd imagine he clung to the Promise Maker himself.
"I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
If paradise was simply a cold, metal chair beside Jesus, would I consider it paradise? Or would I be expecting the 5-star hotel in the sky?
This week, let's discover what it means to cling to Jesus.
Like the thief on the cross, we may find—in Jesus—a moment of hope in the pain.
Questions to Ponder:
What do you think Jesus meant with this statement from the cross? How has "Christian pop culture" shaped your theology of heaven?
Where do you need a moment of hope in the middle of pain? This week, what are some ways you can cling to Jesus?
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P.S. If you’d like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated and it would be much appreciated.