You Will Be With Me In Paradise

We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.  Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." 
Luke 23:41-43

I was reading Dave Walkers blog: God in the ICU http://godintheicu.wordpress.com and in one of his stories he tells is about praying with a patient.  He shares how he didn't teach the four spiritual laws and try to lead him in a sinners prayer.  What was important was the man's heart attitude toward God while he lay recovering in the ICU.

I felt some conviction as I read Dave's blog because I have a way of complicating things sometimes.  It's not that I mean to do wrong, just that I get to caught up in the things that just don't really matter. I don't want to leave anything undone, any stone unturned.

As I recall, my own conversion experience, it was simple and uncomplicated.  A little child could have understood what The Holy Spirit was telling me.

Today if you haven't made your relationship right with God, through His only Son Jesus Christ it's really very simple.  Like the one hanging on a cross beside Jesus, realize that you have done wrong.  Yes, it's humbling but at the same time freeing to know that you don't have to hide anything before God anymore (He knows it all anyway).  Then to ask "Jesus, remember me..."

If your heart was right before Him (and only you and He really knows) you can have confidence that Jesus will make you the same promise he did to the thief on the cross "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

You Are Needed

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.  If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  
1 Corinthians 12:12-15

The church I attend has many different prayer groups that meet in the middle of the week for fellowship and time to encourage and pray for each other, they are called "life groups".  Each Sunday morning a different life group is given the duty to set up the chairs in the sanctuary, bring out the tables for coffee, prepare the coffee and tea and so on.  It works nicely since most adults enjoy a hot beverage after the service while we all mingle around and talk before going home.

It was my life groups turn to do it last Sunday.  A few people showed up early and had most of the chairs almost set up.  The ladies were busy in the kitchen filling urns with water to boil for the drinks, measuring out milk, sugar and so on.  I was given the job of getting some tables out to put the cups on.  I feel a little closer to these people because we are working together to bless others that will come later.    The whole church has come to expect this to be done every week.  But what if this past Sunday my group just said we're not going do the set up?  We don't do as good of a job as last weeks group, or we just wanted to not bother to attend at all and just sleep in that Sunday morning?  We would have let the rest of the congregation down.  The after service social time would be shortened and there would be concern from them for us.   Some would be wondering what happened to us and maybe others even begin to think maybe they would take their next turn off as well.  Soon we wouldn't be having that time afterwards to talk and visit and that could begin to affect other areas of the church.  Areas like children's church, music ministries, or preaching.

The point Paul is making is that we need each other.  YOU are needed, wanted and depended on.  This whole illustration can be used in the whole of your life.  Apply it's principles to your family, friends, job.  The place you find yourself in is where God has placed you to be and therefore represent Him in those areas.  Later in the chapter Paul goes on to say that no one is greater or lesser, weaker or stronger than the others in the body.  But we are interdependent on each other.  Just because you are not the drummer in the band, or the preacher, does not mean you are not just as important as they.

Today make a decision to get fully involved with a group of believers.  Then find out where they need your expertise and get involved.  I promise you the effort is worth the long term benefits.

I'd love to hear from you how this post may have impacted on your life.