The Eleventh Hour

Then He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into your kingdom.”
(Luke 23:42 NKJV)

Recently, a friend’s sister passed away. In her lifetime, her sister had not, to her knowledge, accepted Christ. She had prayed for her sister’s salvation, but now the end had come, and she was left with the terrible fear that her sister had not made it to heaven. She was also carrying enormous guilt that perhaps she should have done more, prayed harder, or been more persuasive in her arguments.

While she was speaking, the thief on the cross came to mind. Nailed to a cross, dying, he looked over at the beaten, bloody body of the One who had committed no crime and who was now dying on his behalf. In that moment, the man glimpsed salvation. He asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into His kingdom. Not the most eloquent prayer, not one based on years of theology, but a cry from deep down in his soul, with I think, little hope.

And through His pain and torment, Jesus raised his head and looked into the eyes of His child and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 NKJV).

At the eleventh hour, Jesus reached out and pulled a dirty, damaged, crippled sheep safely into the sheep pen just as the door was closing. The penitent thief entered heaven with a smile and a dance in his step. He was forgiven and saved, which can be summed up in one word—grace.

We have no idea what happens in those last minutes of life. We do know God does not want to lose even one of His flock. In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus said, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4 NIV).

He repeats this message in the parable of the lost coin. “And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:9-10 NIV).

I have no doubt He is with the dying giving them the chance of a last-minute reprieve. I am sure my friend’s prayers were heard, and He pulled her sister into the sheepfold just as the door was closing.