| Confidence |
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Confidence by Rev. Ian Fauchon
I recently read in a quarterly booklet I receive, an article by a lady who told of a T-shirt that her husband wore. It had a cartoon on it of a sheep walking on it’s two hind legs and speaking to a wolf who is barring its way to the gate of the sheep pen. It says to the sheep “You can’t go in!” Standing behind the sheep is the figure of a man who is familiar to most of us. He has a beard, compassion in his eyes and a gentleness, but also an authority, about him. The sheep replies to the wolf, probably while drawing the wolf’s attention to the figure, and confidently says, “I’m with him!” The sheep’s trust in his shepherd gives him great confidence. When Jesus died on the first Good Friday he was strung on a cross between two thieves. One of these men taunted Jesus to save himself and them as well. But the other, instead of sneering at Jesus, looked straight at him and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (1) No doubt, without hesitating Jesus answered “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (2) Can you possibly imagine what that man might have thought when he heard those words addressed to him personally? Here he was, paying a tremendous penalty for his crimes. But now, simply because he accepted that, somehow that he didn’t fully comprehend, this man beside him was dying with him, but for a crime for which he was not guilty. |
Somehow he knew that the blood of this dying man would be enough to gain him, a helpless sinner, a place in God’s kingdom. I’m sure he was able to know with confidence, that when he died and stood before God, all he would have to say would be something like “I know I don’t deserve to be here, but I’m with Him,” while looking at Jesus. No doubt Jesus would acknowledge “Yes, he’s with me.” Like those two criminals we all need to make a choice. And that choice is to trust in Jesus OR rely on our own achievements to convince God he should save us. This Easter would be a wonderful time to choose the ‘JESUS WAY’ rather than ‘MY WAY’. If you do, then like millions of others, when you stand before God face to face, you will be able to say, with onfidence, “I’m with Him.” (3) (1) Luke 23:42 (2) Luke 23:43 (3) John 20:30-31 Rev Ian Fauchon, is a retired Anglican clergyman. You can contact him by clicking on the blue link. |