Fit for Heaven (1) - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.
Luke 23:42 NKJV

Fit for Heaven (1)
“Remember me,” said the converted robber. There was not a cloud on this man’s heart, because he was divinely taught. One heart recognizes that He is Lord in spite of everything. Pilate had washed his hands before all the people, and given Him up to the Jews; He was denied by one of His disciples, betrayed by another. Everything was against it. “Lord, remember me”; without a sign, the robber owns Him, how bright to faith! This man had no time to grow, or serve, or walk; but there was thorough conversion, full faith, a sense of what the Messiah was, and belief in His coming in His kingdom. Faith in itself is always certain; it may lead us to doubt about other things, but it is always absolutely certain. The believer has certified that God is true; he does not say, “Perhaps He is true.” Wherever I receive it as the word of God, I receive it with absolute certainty; if it be not so, I do not receive it as the word of God at all.

“Remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” His whole concern was that Christ should remember him. We see in him boldness, lowliness as to himself, a sense of the perfectness of Jesus and the knowledge that He would come in His kingdom. Happy are we if we are in the state of this robber! If you were in suffering, in trial, is it the only thing you would care about, that Christ should remember you?

Another thing is Christ’s answer to him: “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Before ever the kingdom came, he would go straight to Paradise. When the thief looks to Christ, he has Christ’s answer. The rest given to our souls is the positive answer of God. We have the positive declaration that this robber, taken up for his crimes, was that day absolutely fit for Paradise, so perfect is the work of Christ.

-- J. N. Darby