His hands were numb and his arms cold. Desmus could not believe this was it. He was about to die. With the sun blaring right above him he used his last ounce of energy to scream out “Where is my salvation?” His spirit was in pain and his soul was completely broken. He wasn’t sure why but in that moment Desmus could only think of his brief time with the Rabbi.
Jesus of Nazareth had made it to Jerusalem just in time to see his final conviction. Desmus even remembers speaking to the Rabbi. “Child, turn away from your sin. It is my plan to restore you.” The Rabbi said. Desmus remembered how he had responded in anger. “You can’t save me Rabbi. I will be sentenced to death.” To which the Nazarene replied. “Even if it is with my very last breath, your salvation will be in me.”
Now in his time of death there was no savior, no one to come to his rescue.
No one to even grieve his death. Desmus thought, “How despicable a man must I be that no one would even come to see me crucified.” He hung with two strangers. One just as wicked as himself the other he did not know. He thought to himself “This man must have committed some horrible atrocities to have the mighty Pharisees and even the High Priest himself crying out for his death.
Desmus turned and was shocked by the eyes of the stranger. They were so familiar.
Was it possible? His face was no longer recognizable as human from the beatings, but his eyes. Could it be the Nazarene? It had to be. Those eyes were piercing. As if they could see into your very soul and yet he spoke to you as if you were innocent. Desmus though to himself “But why is he here? Is he here to mock me? No. He wants to die with me. Why? WHY!”
In anger Desmus said, “You fool, you would dare take the same punishment as me? Why? What am I worth to you?” From the other side of the Rabbi Desmus could hear “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself then save us!” Not knowing why Desmus reacted. “Don’t you even fear God since you are undergoing the same punishment? We are being punished justly for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
With the memories of his life flashing before him Desmus saw it all. He could see his failure, his sin and disbelief. He had caused so much pain to so many. “Who was this rabbi who had authority to forgive his sins?” He thought. “Is he the messiah that all the people spoke of?” As he looked toward Jesus something caught his eye. He saw a sign above the rabbi’s head that had to also be a sign from God. It read “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS”. Desmus understood.
Not knowing if anyone else could see this sign or not he believed. Finally Desmus believed. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” The savior had known all along. His plan was sure and true. Then Jesus said to him “I assure you. Today you will be with me in paradise.”
