› ›

He Loves Me

J. D. Daley

Why did my Savior come to earth?
And to the humble go?
Why did He choose a lowly birth?
Because He loves me so!

Forgive Me, Lord
By: David S. Harkins
"Jonathan, what is that in the sky? I'm afraid it will frighten the sheep."

"Yes, I see the awesome lights and so bright! Why it's angels singing Hosannas on High!"

"Jonathan, let's go down to the city and see for ourselves."

So Daniel and Jonathan went to the city and found the young child lying in the manger in swaddling clothes and they praised and adored Him, as they knew from the lights and the Angels singing that He was surely the King of the Jews.

Now Daniel was a peculiar lad. He was out watching the sheep that night as punishment for stealing a coin from his younger brother who was somewhat of a merchant at a very young age with a pomegranate tea stand in the market place.

However, Daniel, was touched by this appearing of the angels of the
Lord and what he saw in Bethlehem, but unfortunately he was already caught up in a world of petty theft that led to a life of crime. You see Daniel was very impulsive and was one that wanted the attention of others and would do just about any thing to get that attention.

He came from a hard working family and even did some good things along the way like the time he assisted the man who had fallen into a ditch and couldn't get out. However for the most part, Daniel just couldn't get things right.

When his parents divorced he decided to sow his wild oats and when his mother died a few years later he was stunned. He first tried to put his inheritance to good use by taking some schooling, but he soon grew tired of this and joined a band of unsavory men and preyed on the town’s people by night.

As he was living his unruly life he heard from time to time about that Jesus whose birth he had witnessed and he even went to where The Great Rabbi was teaching and let one of his disciples baptize him, but he could not shake his penchant for thievery and crime. At times he would want to repent and join the followers of the Master, but being double minded he soon would be cursing and carousing with his lowly friends again.

Thirty-three years passed from the time of the special birth and Daniel planned his best heist ever with a group of his peers. It seems that there was going to be a shipment of jewels from Africa to King Herod's court. The thieves plotted and planned and then carried out their heist to a tee.

Now Daniel reasoned this way. Jesus the true King's disciples baptized me and I am one of His so I will steal these jewels and give them to the Master, but of course I will keep most of them for myself and become a rich and powerful man in His kingdom and even if He is not the true Messiah, I will be rich.

So Daniel carried out his evil plan and was very successful in his gambit. Why Daniel was so fortunate that the other bandits were scattered before being able to get their portion of the haul and Daniel found him in possession of the entire take of jewels. This caused Daniel to gloat and swell up with pride and feel that he had somehow been blessed by God.

Daniel then went to Judas who he knew carried the bag for The Great Teacher and offered some of the jewels to him to be one of the inner circle of Jesus. Judas who at this very moment, himself, was plotting to betray Jesus took the jewels and told Daniel to lie in wait at the gates to the city of Jerusalem and Daniel would meet Jesus in person and could petition Jesus himself to be one of the inner members of the kingdom that Judas assured Daniel was to be started that very week.

As Daniel, departed Judas' presence, Judas shouted to him, "Be sure you bring a few jewels to give to Jesus directly, that will surely sway him to allow you into the inner circle."

Little did Daniel know that Judas true to form was setting Daniel up for a fall on his face. Judas immediately after he met with the High Priests to arrange the betrayal of Jesus went to the Romans and for a price he betrayed Daniel and told them where to find Daniel with the stolen goods on him.

The Romans came and arrested Daniel and took him to the prison and since Herod was still incensed at the loss of so much of his wealth, Daniel was immediately tried and sentenced to death. The date was set for the next week.

As Daniel sat alone in his cell, he remembered that night he had seen the Angels and the new born king and he wept and prayed, "O merciful God in heaven please let me see the Master one more time before I die, for I am a wretch of a man and I fear death as I am lost even though I let them baptize me for I did not follow in the Master's teaching but fell back into my worldly and dastardly life and now I must pay for my sins. But if I can just talk to Jesus I can repent and ask Him to forgive me."

Suddenly there was a great commotion in the prison as they brought in a new prisoner. It's Jesus the other inmates were shouting. But no luck for Daniel they took Jesus to another cellblock and soon they took Jesus away for good. Daniel sat in self-pity and knew that he was doomed, that his last chance to ask the Master to forgive him had passed.

Early the next morning, Daniel heard that fateful call to start his last journey on earth the journey to Golgotha and his execution for his vile deeds. His companion for the last trip, a very despicable person was also taken and the two of them bantered on the way to their executions. The vile man taunted Daniel, "Hey weren't you baptized by one of those crazy Jesus followers and now you have the same fate as me. Can that water save you now?" Daniel just held his head in shame. The vile man continued, "Why I hear that your Jesus is being executed today also, that is the scuttlebutt amongst the other inmates. If you hadn't been praying to that worthless person all night you would have known that it is all over for Him too."

Daniel was all the more grieved as he knew now and was sure now he never would see Jesus again. Then as Daniel approached the Place of the Skull, his execution plot, Daniel saw a meek man who had been beaten and was near death being assisted by another man. Together they were carrying His cross, but Daniel also saw the angels that he had seen 33 years ago in the sky. Daniel looked over at the vile man and said "Look the angels are here to rescue my Lord surely he will come into his Kingdom today."

But the vile man said, "Angels, Angels, there are no angels in the sky. Man, you have gone mad with your fear. You've really lost it Daniel."

So they raised all three men onto their respective crosses and Daniel kept focusing on the angels, but they did not come and rescue the Lord, however as the vile man hurled accusations and epithets at Jesus and the crowd, Daniel said to Jesus, "I saw you when you were born and I saw the angels and I know you are the Son of God and I see the angels again watching over you, please call on them and let us start your kingdom now, Lord, I don't want to die."

Jesus, whispered to Daniel, "you must pay for your sins Daniel, as I am paying for the sins of the world, but I promise you, you will be with me in Paradise today for repenting and acknowledging me as your Lord and Master."

Then God looked away from the sin on His Son and the angels departed and Jesus gave up the ghost and died and Daniel was alone and Daniel died a lonely man, all alone, but later that day Daniel was with Jesus in Paradise as Jesus had promised.

If there is hope for one such as this one who left his first love for the deceitful ways of the world and a life of ill gotten gain, how much more is the possibility for each one of us to be with Jesus some day if we only repent and seek Him day by day?

If it can happen to a thief on a cross it can happen to you.

thePirate
dsh

He Loves Me

Photos