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April 5 - The Tale of the Crucified Crook . . .                            (back)

THE TALE OF THE CRUCIFIED CROOK

by Max Lucado

If anyone was ever worthless, this one was. If any man ever deserved dying, this man probably did. If any fellow was ever a loser, this fellow was at the top of the list.

Perhaps that is why Jesus chose him to show us what he thinks of the human race.

Maybe this criminal had heard the Messiah speak. Maybe he had seen him love the lowly. Maybe he had watched him dine with the punks, pickpockets, and potmouths on the streets. Or maybe not. Maybe the only thing he knew about this Messiah was what he now saw: a beaten, slashed, nail-suspended preacher. His face crimson with blood, his bones peeking through torn flesh, his lungs gasping for air.

Something, though, told him he had never been in better company. And somehow he realized that even though all he had was prayer, he had finally met the One to whom he should pray.

“Any chance that you could put in a good word for me?” (Loose translation.)

“Consider it done.”

Now why did Jesus do that? What in the world did he have to gain by promising this desperado a place of honor at the banquet table? What in the world could this chiseling quisling ever offer in return? I mean, the Samaritan woman I can understand. She could go back and tell the tale. And Zacchaeus had some money that he could give. But this guy? What is he going to do? Nothing!

That’s the point. Listen closely. Jesus’ love does not depend upon what we do for him. Not at all. In the eyes of the King, you have value simply because you are. You don’t have to look nice or perform well. Your value is inborn.

Period.

Think about that for just a minute. You are valuable just because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are. Remember that. The next time someone tries to pass you off as a cheap buy, just think about the way Jesus honors you…and smile.

I do. I smile because I know I don’t deserve love like that. None of us do. When you get right down to it, any contribution that any of us make is pretty puny. All of us—even the purest of us—deserve heaven about as much as that crook did. All of us are signing on Jesus’ credit card, not ours.

And it also makes me smile to think that there is a grinning ex-con walking the golden streets who knows more about grace than a thousand theologians. No one else would have given him a prayer. But in the end that is all that he had. And in the end, that is all it took.

No wonder they call him the Savior.
_____________________________________
from "No Wonder They Call Him the Savior" by Max Lucado, Copyright 1986

April 12 - This Is the Day . . .               (back)

This is the Day

This is the day the doves returned,
The greatest day on earth,

The day the stone was overturned,

The sign of man's rebirth.  

 This is the day He left the tomb,
The day the angels hailed,

This is the day the Lilies bloomed,
The day to lift the veil.  

 This is the day that Mary's tears,
Upon her cheek were dried,

 The day the angels quelled her fears,
By singing He's alive!  

 This is the day that Christ was seen,
Walking on the road,

 In the flesh - no, not a dream,
In a white and holy robe.  

 This is the day He spoke aloud,
Hear, see, touch - He's real,

 The day He rose up in the clouds,
God's truth to man revealed.

April 19 - The Golden Crane . . .           (back)    

The Golden Crane

This little story reminds us to listen to that small quiet voice from within. You never know where it will lead you.

As a teacher of origami (the ancient Japanese art of paper folding) at the LaFarge Lifelong Learning Institute in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Art Beaudry was asked to represent the school at an exhibit at a large mall in Milwaukee. He decided to take along a couple hundred folded paper cranes to pass out to people who stopped at his booth.

Before that day, something strange happened. A voice told him to find a piece of gold foil paper and make a gold origami crane. The voice was so insistent that Art actually found himself rummaging through his collection of origami papers at home until he found one flat, shiny piece of gold foil.

"Why am I doing this?" he asked himself. Art had never worked with the shiny gold paper; it didn't fold as easily or neatly as the crisp multicolored papers. But that little voice kept nudging. Art tried to ignore the voice. "Why gold foil anyway? Paper is much easier to work with," he grumbled.

The voice continued. "Do it! And give it to a special person." By now Art was getting a little cranky. "What special person?" he asked the voice. "You'll know which one," the voice said.

That evening Art carefully folded and shaped the unforgiving gold foil until it became as graceful and delicate as a real crane about to take flight. He packed the exquisite crane in the box along with about 200 other colorful paper cranes he'd made over the previous few weeks.

The next day at the mall, dozens upon dozens of people stopped by Art's booth to ask questions about origami. He demonstrated the art. He folded, unfolded and refolded. He explained the intricate details, the need for sharp creases.

Then, suddenly, there was a woman standing in front of Art. Was this that special person? Art had never seen her before, and she hadn't said a word as she watched him carefully fold a pink piece of paper into a crane with pointed, graceful wings.

Art glanced up at her face, and before he realized it, he found himself reaching for the "gold-foil crane" he'd labored over the night before. Carefully he picked up the gold crane, and gently placed it in the woman's hand.

Art said: "I don't know why, but a voice told me to give you that golden crane. The crane is the ancient symbol of peace," Art said simply.

The woman didn't say a word as she slowly cupped her hand around the fragile bird as if it were alive. When Art looked at her face, he saw tears filling her eyes.

Finally, the woman took a deep breath and said, "My husband died three weeks ago. This is the first time I've been out. Today..." She wiped her eyes with her free hand, still gently cradling the golden crane with the other. Then she said very quietly, as tears streamed down her face. "Today would have been our 'golden' wedding anniversary."

Then the lady said in a clear voice, "Thank you so much for this beautiful gift. Now I know that my husband is at peace.

Don't you see? The voice you heard, it was the voice of God, and this beautiful crane is a gift from Him. It's the most wonderful 50th wedding anniversary gift I could have received. Thank you for listening to Holy Spirit within your heart."

And that's how Art learned to listen very carefully, when the Holy Spirit speaks to him within, and tells him to do things he may not understand. Now or even later.

Are you listening, my friend? God may be speaking to you.

"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." 

1 Corinthians 2:14

Go to the following web page to learn how to make origami cranes:

http://origami.org.uk/origamicrane

April 26 -  Christ's Bell . . .                   (back) 

Christ’s Bell

I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child. (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend. (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord. (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price. (1 Cor 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth. (Matt 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ. (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation. ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant. (Phil 3:20)
I am free from any charge against me. ( Rom.  8:31 -34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God. (2 Cor 5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God. (Rom 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God. (2 Cor 1:21-22 )
I am assured all things work together for good. (Rom. 8:28 )
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. (John 15:16 )
I may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Eph. 3: 12 )
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life. (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16).  I am complete in Christ. (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3)…I have been justified. (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship. (Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col  1:14). I have been adopted as God's child. (Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
Who you are?


'The LORD bless thee and keep thee;
The LORD make His face shine upon thee
And be gracious unto thee;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee,
And give thee peace...
Numbers 6:24-26 

April Bonus - A Portrait of Christ . . .                 (back)

A Portrait of Christ

from the Inspiration Daily

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