“He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”  The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words” (Matthew 27:43-44).

If God loves you, He will . . . .  Stop that kind of thinking.  God loves you!  This is what Scripture says.  Therefore, there can be no other conditions.  Sin is in the world, and you have the promise that our Lord will work things out for your good because He loves you and you love Him.  Beyond that, there is sin in the world and sin is destructive.  The hope is not in our situation, but in the truth that nothing created will ever be able to separate you from God’s love.

Heavenly Father, You wonderfully created all that You have made.  You delight in the good creation You have made.  You gave Your only begotten Son, begotten, not made, for the sake of those who would join in the love which You and the Son have.  Love trusts the One loved.  The Son loves You and You love the Son.  What happens in this age does not change that.  Lead me into Your love knowing that nothing can separate me from You.

Lord Jesus, You so loved all of us so much that You willingly paid the price for us to be redeemed.  Help me so that I am not bound by the circumstances of this world but live into the love and life which You offer through the salvation You have purchased from the cross.  Guide me, dear Lord, in this life and help me ignore the taunting and jeers of unbelievers in this age.  Lead me always in Your eternal love.  Amen.

“At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.  And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:38-40).

Criminals were crucified with Jesus.  This is as Scripture foretold.  They were receiving punishment for what they had done.  Jesus was innocent.  Are we not like those abusers?  There are those who mock and tell God, “If you are God, fix this.”  Elsewhere in Scripture it says that one of them crucified with Him repented and asked Jesus to remember him.  We are presented with two possibilities.  Either this is God who took away the sin of the world, or else there is no God and we are left to our circumstances.

Lord God, all things are in Your hands, and the story of the cross has been told throughout all the generations since it happened.  The world promotes wickedness, yet, amid the wickedness, You provide hope and salvation.  The world mocks You, but You endured all the mockery for the sake of those who hear Your voice of love, humbly come to the cross and join You in dying to self, sin, and the devil.

Lord, there is so much that happens in this world which I do not understand.  Guide me so that I may humbly come to You and join You where You are.  You must be the One who leads me, for I do not know how to walk the path before me in this life.  Through Your death on the cross, You have overcome all that stands in the way of everyone who believes in You.  Help me to believe in the truth You have revealed.  Amen.