He was a malefactor, a criminal, an evil doer, a death row inmate. His life was marked with fast living, perhaps thievery, maybe even murder. We don’t know what he did, we just know that it led him to this moment, facing a horrible, painful, shameful death.

But this man who had lived a life wasted, on his deathbed, so to speak, had a revelation – Jesus is Lord. He saw what the crowd refused to see, what the guy hanging next to him could not see. He saw Jesus as Savior. And with one confession, with one plea, in a moment a life wasted becomes a life redeemed. In one second, a lifetime of bad choices is forgiven. In an instant, a malefactor has an inheritance in heaven.

Jesus, in this moment, demonstrated two profound truths, “No one is beyond redemption and as long as you are breathing there is hope.”

Like this criminal, you may feel you are reaping the fruit of your bad choices. You may feel as if you are too far gone. You may think that you are beyond forgiveness. But let me tell you today, “You are not!” Allow this Easter story to remind you that with just one statement, one plea God can redeem, forgive, and give you an inheritance. Your wasted life is only a moment away from being a life redeemed.

And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭43‬ NASB)