Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43
Have you ever gone on vacation to a place that was absolutely beautiful: lush flowering plants, snow-capped mountains, graceful wildlife, perfect sunshine weather, white sand beaches with gorgeous aqua waters, bubbling spring waters, fields of colorful wildflowers, or rolling hills? We often refer to these places as paradise. When we feel at peace and content, we eat delicious food, snuggle under a warm blanket, feel a cool breeze under the shade of a tree, listen to beautiful music, or have a refreshing drink, we proclaim, “This is paradise.”
Although we do not know much about the Garden of Eden, which was the birthplace of Adam and Eve, we do know it had rivers, lush plants, and trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. The Garden of Eden was also called Paradise, yet one of the most comforting scriptures found in Luke 23:52 speaks of another Paradise.
Jesus, who had been brutally beaten and was dying in agony on a cross, still managed to speak very important words. This message was for the man hanging on the cross next to himself, but this message is to the world. He said, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
When we move the comma to read, “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.” we know that on that exact day, God proclaimed to us that there is a true place called Paradise, a heavenly home for eternity. With this promise for our today, we can throw away our fear of death and the grave for our tomorrow. Just as the grave could not hold Christ captive, we, too, have been set free of the bonds of death.
We will have life everlasting in this Paradise, a place where there will be no more sorrow, pain, sickness, hunger, thirst, or fear. We will no longer have to visit a place or have a small event to get a little piece of paradise here on earth, but we will experience our Father face to face. This will certainly be the true Paradise.
Thank you, Jesus, for providing the path that leads to Paradise. We look forward to that day. Amen
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