To-day,
if thou wilt, thou shalt be with me in Paradise." Thank God, the Jesus of
the penitent thief is my Jesus. Thank God, the cross of the penitent thief
is my cross. I must confess my sinfulness if I want to come into the
closest communion with my blessed Lord. There was not a man upon earth
during the thirty-three years of Christ's life that had such wonderful
fellowship with the Son of God, as the penitent thief, for with the Son of
God he entered the glory. What made him so separate from others? He was on
the cross with Jesus and entered Paradise with Him. And if I live upon the
cross with Jesus, the Paradise life shall be mine every day.
And now, if Jesus gives me that promise, what have I to do? Let go. When a
ship is moored alongside the dock, with everything ready for the start and
all standing on the quay, the last bell is rung and the order is given,
"Let go." Then the last rope is loosened, and the steamer moves. There are
things that tie us to the earth, to the flesh-life, and to the self-life;
but to-day the message comes: "If thou wouldst die with Jesus, let go.
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