Read: Luke 23:39–43
He was at the end. There was no time left to turn things around or make things right. He had nothing to offer—no record of good works, no history of following God, just a criminal’s past and a dying man’s plea. Just a few breaths.
And with those last breaths, he uttered one plea to Jesus: “Remember me.”
Jesus responded instantly: “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
We all wonder, deep down, if we’ve waited too long, if we’ve failed too many times, if we’ve strayed too far. But the thief on the cross hadn’t run out of time, and neither will you. If there's still breath in your lungs, it’s not too late to turn to Jesus.
But it’s easy to forget this truth applies to others, too. We write off the people who, in our eyes are too hardened and broken. But Jesus didn’t write off the criminal beside him. He heard one honest confession and responded with salvation.
Grace doesn’t depend on a clean record. It depends on a changed heart. Don’t count yourself out, and don’t count out anyone else. Bring your story to Jesus, no matter where you’ve been, and keep believing that he can reach the people you’ve stopped praying for. He’s not finished with them, or with you.