Friday, September 17, 2010

Surrounded by Criminals

Today's Reading: Luke 21-24

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Luke 23: 33 NRSV

Jesus spent his ministry with the downtrodden, the hopeless, the lost, the outcast, the unrighteous. Even his disciples were ordinary, misguided people. In other words, Jesus was always with sinners.

How fitting, then, that he is hung between two criminals. He is not next to these "bad guys." He is in the center of criminals.

God is hung to die in the midst of the wicked.

What, then, do we make of that?

Perhaps God cares for the wicked.

Maybe God loves the unrighteous.

Is it that Jesus dies for sinners that he was hung in the midst of them?

We focus on being part of the righteous when Jesus came to give his life for the unrighteous.

God, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He did not die for those that were good but those that you wanted to bring into your arms. Help us to realize our own sinfulness and to reach out to the lost. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims

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