The scene of the cross must have been horrendous. The trauma and grief experienced by the thief made him recognize Jesus’s divine nature and innocence, and his own last minute need for repentance. I wonder if I make confession far too complicated in my own self righteousness. The interaction between Jesus and the criminal must have had a powerful impact on those who were there - and it should be powerful for us as well. Life is so fragile, and I need to recognize my own weakness as a sinner.
“He endured all that hell is on the cross, so that you would never know what hell is like.”
“When your heart is gripped by the love of God poured out in the cross, and when you see the extent of that love in the propitiation by which Christ became the sacrifice for your sin, bearing wrath and entering hell for you, and when you are convinced that this Christ offers Himself in redeeming love to others who do not yet know Him, a passion will be lit in your heart to pursue a God-centered life.” - Colin S. Smith, Jonah: Navigating a God-Centered Life
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