Luke 23:32-33,  "Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals – one on His right, the other on His left."

Think

"Are you on the right side or wrong side of Jesus?" The cross is a common image in today's world. And the closer we get to Easter, the more images of crosses we begin to see. For Christ-followers, it's natural to remember Jesus' sacrifice when those images appear. But we often forget that there were actually three crosses on Golgotha the day Jesus was crucified. When we do think of the other crosses, chances are we brush the thought away quickly, telling ourselves that they were just insignificant criminals who happened to be crucified at the same time as our Savior. However, there was a providential reason why Jesus wound up being the man in the middle of this crucifixion trilogy. It was an opportunity for us to witness a radical change in one criminal and to be reminded of the danger of pride shown by the other. The imagery of Jesus hanging between two criminals is a clear depiction of our situation today. Because of our sin, there is a chasm between humanity and God that is impossible for us to bridge on our own. That is why Jesus became the willing and perfect sacrifice for us, to wipe away our sin and make a way for us to spend eternity with God. He was literally the tissue that took care of our sin issue. Amid the agony of being crucified, one of those criminals recognized Jesus as the true man in the middle, the Messiah. As a result, he went from being on the wrong side of Jesus to the right side. We have the same opportunity as that criminal did. But don't wait until your time is almost up to make the same proclamation that Jesus is Lord. Instead, choose today to recognize Him as the man in the middle who covers the chasm between you and an eternity with God. Ask Him to be in the middle of your life.

Act

Today's prayer is a great reminder for those who have already made the decision to follow Christ. It's a reminder to make sure that you keep Jesus in the middle of every area of your life. However, if this is the first time you have prayed to place Jesus in the middle of your life, you may wonder "What's next?" Let us help! Click back to the Home page of this app then click on "More," then click on "What's Your Next Step?" Swipe through the pages to read more about what is in store for your faith journey!

Pray

Dear God, I know I have made mistakes that caused a chasm between us. I'm sorry and ask You to please forgive me. I believe that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to be in the middle of that chasm and wipe away my sin so I can spend eternity with You. I choose today to ask Jesus to be in the middle of my life and guide me on the path You have for me. Thank You for saving me! In Jesus' name, Amen!