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“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life…” Deuteronomy 30:19

I was reading Isaiah’s astoundingly accurate prophecy of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. How He was pierced for our rebellion and crushed for our sin. He was painfully punished so we could be healed.

And that image brought my mind to the cross and how our Lord hung as a criminal between two criminals.

If you’re older in the faith, you may know about the conversation that transpired among them. But here it is, from Luke’s Gospel:

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
 

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this Man has done nothing wrong.”
 

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.”
 

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43

And it struck me afresh: We are all criminals—sinners. Our sins punishable by death and eternal separation from God, because sin cannot coexist with His perfect righteousness. More than that, though, each of us is represented by those two criminals. And every one of us has to make the same choice.
 

We can mock the Lord and doubt His authority and sovereignty. We can hurl insults at Him and His people, believing that He’s powerless to change our lives or our destiny.
Or, we can recognize Jesus as Who He said He is—Creator of the universe, Immanuel (God with us), the Lamb Who was slain, the King of glory. We can accept the immense sacrifice He made on that cross, knowing that by surrendering to Him and His will, we are made new and forever free.

Those two guys, hanging on either side of our Lord, symbolize two paths, two destinies, two decisions. Acceptance or rejection. Self-reliance or submission. Death or life. An eternity of peace or eternal anguish.
What do you choose?

Lord, You give us an opportunity to love and trust You—You don’t force the decision on us. Thank You for making a way, for giving us the choice to love.

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Ministry