The Last Miracle

 The Miracle Of Salvation

Photo by simon on Unsplash

We all know and have heard the miracles that Jesus operated during his ministry, how He transformed water into wine, healed sick people & restored their lives, saving them from their suffering, He marvelled everyone around him. We love hearing those stories, it brings us hope. But what if I tell you that Jesus' last miracle can also bring us hope & joy? His last miracle is so overshadowed that we barely see pastors preaching about it. 

When my aunt passed, I wanted an answer from God so desperately to why she had to go in such a painful way and so early, and all I was getting was a chapter of Jesus having a moment with 2 criminals on the cross. It didn't take me much time to understand what Jesus wanted to speak into my heart, and today I pray He speaks to yours, comforting your grief, and building the hope that more than any healing and blessing you can receive in this fallen world, the miracle of salvation surpasses all of it. A thief understood that the moment he met Jesus, so can we. 

Read the passage: Luke 23:38-43 

There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 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, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Notice in this passage how we have two thieves with different focus. We can tell where their hearts were based on their words. One is so focused on what Jesus could do for him based on His fame and miracles, he wanted Jesus to get him out of there, but the other thief recognised Jesus as Lord, as God Himself. That thief in one moment recognised his sin [for we are getting what our deeds deserve] recognised who he was talking to [don't you fear God?] and believed in who Jesus was more than what He could do [Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom] 

And the last miracle of Jesus was: Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

His last miracle was Salvation. He didn't save that man who believed in him from that cross. From dying. Jesus the One who rose Lazarus from the dead, whom all things are possible gave him the gift of salvation. And for me this is the most beautiful miracle Jesus did. Because it was through Him dying for our sins that we have salvation now. For me those two thieves represent us Christians, but I truly pray and desire that we are more like the one who recognises his sin, and who wants Jesus and his will more than what He can do and what we want for ourselves. This passage showed me my aunty is in a better place, waiting for an eternity that makes this life look dull. But we should be waiting too. Why are we so distracted with this world lately? 

As humans, just like that thief, we do sin, we are not perfect. However, nowadays we must be careful with how we see Jesus. Are we looking for Him only based on what He can do for us, or do we want Him based on who He is for us? Do we trust Him enough with our hearts to accept His perfect will? 

Who is Jesus to you? to us? In a generation that's so distracted by being full of themselves and social media fame, in a world that's so loud & busy, who is Him to us, truly? 

Let us not overshadow the gift of salvation. Everything in this world will pass. But God's word lasts forever.