April 9: Believing His Salvation.
HIS PROMPTNESS.
"Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him."--Luke 15:22
Something that touches my heart, in the parable of the prodigal son and the loving father (Luke 15:11-32), is the immediacy with which the father covers the son's shamefulness. He doesn't say "I told you so," nor does he expect to hear a list of deeds the son plans to do to atone for himself. No! The father gives the order to act swiftly and immediately: "Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him" (verse 22). Wouldn't you do the same for your wayward child?
Likewise, during His dialogue with the real-life prodigal (Luke 23:40-43), Jesus answers with the eagerness of a parent responding to a desperate child. But, unlike the father of the prodigal, Jesus couldn't run to meet the evildoer and embrace him; He could only speak to him because His hands and feet were nailed to the cross. This undeserving son had requested Jesus to remember him in His kingdom (Luke 23:42). In today's devotional, we will look at the two other words in Jesus' answer: "today," and "paradise." "Truly I say to you, today..." (verse 43). Jesus didn't want this man to wait until His Coming to find out what his fate would be. The evildoer could have the assurance of salvation that day. at that very instant. No anxiety or uncertainty; just assurance. Can you imagine that? In Luke, the word today highlights the immediacy of the assurance of salvation (see Luke 4:21; 19:9). Jesus was saying: "Quickly, bring out the robe of My righteousness and put it on him! Today!" And what was this immediate assurance about? "...with Me you will be in paradise" (verse 43). * Paradise! The place where God had created His children! The same place they had lost beck in Genesis 3! This is the only instance that Jesus utters the word paradise (same Greek word as in Genesis 2 and 3 in the LXX). At this very moment, Jesus was opening up a way back home for His children. Neither He nor the thief would go to paradise that day, but the thief was given the ultimate assurance. Jesus was responding immediately, promising paradise to His undeserving son! If you utter the same prayer, making the request that the thief made, you will receive the same assurance. And you will receive it today!
My Response:_______________________________________________________
* J.D. Douglas, New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament, 4th rev. ed. (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 1993).
HIS PROMPTNESS.
"Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him."--Luke 15:22
Something that touches my heart, in the parable of the prodigal son and the loving father (Luke 15:11-32), is the immediacy with which the father covers the son's shamefulness. He doesn't say "I told you so," nor does he expect to hear a list of deeds the son plans to do to atone for himself. No! The father gives the order to act swiftly and immediately: "Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him" (verse 22). Wouldn't you do the same for your wayward child?
Likewise, during His dialogue with the real-life prodigal (Luke 23:40-43), Jesus answers with the eagerness of a parent responding to a desperate child. But, unlike the father of the prodigal, Jesus couldn't run to meet the evildoer and embrace him; He could only speak to him because His hands and feet were nailed to the cross. This undeserving son had requested Jesus to remember him in His kingdom (Luke 23:42). In today's devotional, we will look at the two other words in Jesus' answer: "today," and "paradise." "Truly I say to you, today..." (verse 43). Jesus didn't want this man to wait until His Coming to find out what his fate would be. The evildoer could have the assurance of salvation that day. at that very instant. No anxiety or uncertainty; just assurance. Can you imagine that? In Luke, the word today highlights the immediacy of the assurance of salvation (see Luke 4:21; 19:9). Jesus was saying: "Quickly, bring out the robe of My righteousness and put it on him! Today!" And what was this immediate assurance about? "...with Me you will be in paradise" (verse 43). * Paradise! The place where God had created His children! The same place they had lost beck in Genesis 3! This is the only instance that Jesus utters the word paradise (same Greek word as in Genesis 2 and 3 in the LXX). At this very moment, Jesus was opening up a way back home for His children. Neither He nor the thief would go to paradise that day, but the thief was given the ultimate assurance. Jesus was responding immediately, promising paradise to His undeserving son! If you utter the same prayer, making the request that the thief made, you will receive the same assurance. And you will receive it today!
My Response:_______________________________________________________
* J.D. Douglas, New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament, 4th rev. ed. (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 1993).
RSS Feed
