In shadows hung 'twixt earth and sky, a thief did meet his end,
Beside the One whose very breath could broken hearts amend.
No rites of passage graced his life, no waters of rebirth,
No feast to share in hallowed halls, no joyous, saintly mirth.

Yet in this final, desperate hour, his faith became his crown,
A simple trust, a whispered plea, in pain, his fortunes drown.
No saintly deeds adorned his past, no pious words were spoken,
Yet grace, like dawn's first light, appears for hearts sincerely broken.

How does he fit, this thief, in grand designs of theology?
No steps of faith, no righteous acts, mere belief was key.
Upon the cross, no knees could bend, no hands in prayer fold,
Yet he was promised paradise, in scriptures, as foretold.

The King beside him, crowned in thorns, in agony did reign,
His kingdom not of earthly sort, where sin and death remain.
"I tell you truly, you will be with me in paradise,"
A statement that cuts through the din of human sacrifice.

For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son,
That whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, undone.
It's not the rituals, not the deeds, that save our soul from night,
But faith in Him, who on the cross, brought hope and grace to light.

No shiny lights, no crafty words, no donuts in the foyer,
Just a naked, dying man who brings the sinner joy.
This thief, he stands for all of us, who nothing have to bring,
But belief in Christ, the risen Lord, our Savior and our King.

March 24, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop