One Last Dinner to Remember!!

Read: Jeremiah 1:1-10; Jeremiah 9:1-2; Luke 23:39-43; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:58

This is the third devotion based on a question that Barbra Streisand was asked several years ago. Someone wondered with which six people, living or dead, would she like to share a meal? When I read that, I wondered how I would answer the question.

I chose Abraham, Mary the mother of Jesus, Adam, the man born blind whom Jesus healed and made new, Jeremiah the prophet and the criminal whose life completely changed before his death on a cross.

We have only two remaining dinner guests. Jeremiah and the criminal who was crucified along with Jesus. Two very different lives. What might they have to talk about? Let's listen in.

Repentant Criminal: I have been looking forward to this time together. We're very different as far as what the Bible tells people about us. No one who reads about me knows my name or why I ended up on that cross. You know, I'm glad that's not a part of my public story because now, I can talk about Jesus and His love without a long discourse about my sin because what happened to me on that long-ago day could be a part of anyone's story. That is because Jesus' forgiveness is so vast that it isn't really important to know what sins He forgave and what unrighteousness He cleansed.

So, let me start from the beginning and simply tell you what happened on that very special day. The day that I, a man who had been unfaithful to God all his life, was made new. I started out angry and bitter. I spoke ugly things about Jesus just like the other criminal who died that day, but something started to change in my life. I heard Jesus' words as He asked His Father to forgive those who had mocked and brutalized Him. What was this? It wasn't long before Jesus' holiness began to open my eyes to the ugliness of the sin in my life. I deserved the cross, but He didn't. Something else began to dawn on me. He was a King. He had a kingdom, and I knew if He wanted to, He had the authority to give me entrance. Even though, like me, He would die that day. Since I believed that, I asked Him to remember me when He came into His kingdom. Jeremiah, I didn't know how I was able to understand any of this, but now I know that God opened my eyes and made it all possible. Do you know what I mean?

Jeremiah: Oh, I love your story though mine is so different. I was young when the Lord called me to be a prophet. He told me not to be afraid and that from my mother's womb He had set me aside to do this work of calling His people to repent. He touched my mouth and promised He would give me the words to say. I was not to be afraid because of His power and presence in my life. Wow, what a wonderful God. However, a great challenge lay ahead. I was to call my people to repentance just as you repented. Sadly, this didn't occur, and it made me weep, my people wouldn't repent. Their hearts were stubborn and hard like the other criminal who was crucified with you. You know God was sad when the people spurned His love over and over again. The same way He surely was sad when the other man on the cross continued to turn away from Him even after he saw your life change.

Repentant Criminal: I'm sorry to interrupt, but there is something I'd like to say here. I admire your faithfulness. For around 40 years, you continued to speak God's message to His people. As for me, I wasted almost all of my life.

Jeremiah: Don't you see that our lives both demonstrate the most important thing? God's grace poured out into the lives of undeserving people. Whether we have been faithful for decades or call out for God's forgiveness and mercy during the last hours of our lives, it is the same undeserved favor that God has poured into our lives. Now, we get to share not only a meal together but an eternity. Yes, there are rewards for faithfulness, but the only reason I was able to be faithful was that God strengthened and enabled me. All the honor belongs to Him.

Repentant Criminal: If I might share one more thing. A word of encouragement. On that last day of my earthly life, no one would have guessed that my life could change. Many people have loved ones who start their days just as I did that last one, and look what God did. I was born anew, and who can say that a loved one who seems so far from Jesus won't become His beloved child. May people think of me in heaven and be reminded that no one is out of the reach of God's grace! Jeremiah, do you have a word of encouragement?

Jeremiah: Yes, it is a simple word. Don't ever stop serving God. If what you do seems small or ineffective, keep on. I have never regretted anything I did for my Lord because it pleased Him regardless of the outcome that was, so often not encouraging.

Lord, Thank You that No one is beyond the reach of grace, and thank You that it is not outcome that you prize but faithfulness.