Musings in Search of a Muse

Sometime last month I wrote about a few songs that I had picked up that told the story of the Crucifixion, in part, though the eyes of the Good Thief that was forgiven by Jesus. I keep thinking back to this not only because the songs are in one of my regular music rotations, but because it is a story more compelling than some others in the Bible. Look at it through the lyrics of KJ-52's "Never Look Away" and you'll see the potency.

[Chorus]
I once was lost, but then You found me, loved me
An I'm never gonna look away
No I'm never gonna look away
You paid the cost, You showed me how You bought me
An I'm never gonna look away
No I'm never gonna look away, away

Now who am I? The thief nobody cares about
The kind that run up in your house
Steal your jewels and couch
Been on the run for so long but they caught me now
They hung me on this cross so long, an I see the crowd
But next to me is someone who I heard about
They said He heals the blind an lame,
but I got my doubts
So what's His name? I can't remember
Someone screamed it out
Said it was Jesus, but this Man,
He didn't make a sound
He hung there breathing with the blood runnin down His mouth
He had been beaten, crown of thorns now was on His brow
See, what I've done is just the reason why I'm hangin now
But this man is innocent, an I can see it now
I said "Jesus, are You listenin? You hear me now?
Remember me just on the day you bring Your kingdom down
I wanna change my ways, I really want Ya freedom now"
He took my sin away, an this is why I say it now

[Chorus]

He turned His head and said "Today ya gonna be with me
Cause very soon I'll be dead but I'm a set you free
Cause every drop that I bled is so that you will see
That it was shed for you to be with me eternally"
The other thief, he just laughed at what He said to me
Said "You ain't comin back Ya nothing that you claim to be
If You was king, then why they hang ya next to me?
See, what I think is that you a liar an it's plain to see"
But Jesus' silent an soon the time begin to pass
He cried "It is finished!" an went an breathed His last
He died, the sky was rumblin, it started turnin black
But I knew He'd come again, because I knew the facts
My time to die is comin soon an it's comin fast
It's hard to breathe, I'm tryin to, I begin to gasp
I can't deny what is true, cause it's all I have
An now I knew paradise was where I'm heading now

[Chorus]

I had a debt I could not pay.
Your love broke through took it away
I once was lost but now I'm found
To you I make this joyful sound.

Please remember me, Lord when you come again
Time is passin by, my life is comin to the end
I'm about to die, it's time so please let me in
Please remember me Lord, just when you come again

Please remember me, Lord when you come again
Time is passin by, my life is comin to the end
I'm about to die, it's time so please let me in
Please remember me Lord, just when you come again

[Chorus]

I had planned to add emphasis to key parts, but everything is a key part. This story illustrates the three actions necessary for salvation: confession, repentance, and acceptance.

Confess your sins to the Lord and to your fellow man. Everyone sins. That's the tendency of every being since The Fall. God understands this weakness. The flaw is not your fault, but the result of disobedience to God. Continued disobedience simply increases the entropic effect and drags you further down. You can choose to obey God or not.

Repentance is the mark that you now choose to follow God and His laws. With your free will -- a gift that even the seraphim do not have -- you honor Our Lord as a beloved penitent.

Acceptance of God's freely given love and His forgiveness gained through the sacrifice of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, you are now free. You sinned, he paid the price, and you gained everlasting life.

It sounds so simple. It is so simple, though it took the pain of the cross to drive the point home to Desmas, the Good Thief while the other thief missed the point altogether. What pain will it take for you to understand?