ve where I am living, in the love of the
Father? To-day, to-day; even as the Holy Ghost says: 'To-day shalt thou
be with me!' Longest thou for Me? I long more for thee. Longest thou for
fellowship? I long unceasingly for thy fellowship, for I need thy love,
my child, to satisfy my heart. Nothing can prevent My receiving thee into
fellowship. I have taken possession of Heaven for thee, as the Great High
Priest, that thou mightest live the Heavenly life, that thou mightest have
access into the holiest of all and an abiding dwelling place there. To-day,
if thou wilt, thou shalt be with me in Paradise." Thank God, the Jesus of
the penitent thief is my Jesus. Thank God, the cross of the penitent thief
is my cross. I must confess my sinfulness if I want to come into the
closest communion with my blessed Lord. There was not a man upon earth
during the thirty-three years of Christ's life that had such wonderful
fellowship with the Son of God, as the penitent thief, for with the Son of
God he entered the glory. What made him so separate from others? He was on
the cross with Jesus and entered Paradise with Him. And if I live upon the
cross with Jesus, the Paradise life shall be mine every day.

And now, if Jesus gives me that promise, what have I to do? Let go. When a
ship is moored alongside the dock, with everything ready for the start and
all standing on the quay, the last bell is rung and the order is given,
"Let go." Then the last rope is loosened, and the steamer moves. There are
things that tie us to the earth, to the flesh-life, and to the self-life;
but to-day the message comes: "If thou wouldst die with Jesus, let go."
Thou needst not understand all. It may not be perfectly clear; the heart
may appear dull, but never mind; Jesus carried that penitent thief through
death to life. The thief did not know where he was going, he did not know
what was to happen, but Jesus, the mighty conqueror, took him in His arms,
and landed him, in his ignorance, in Paradise. Oh, I have sometimes said
in my soul, bless God for the ignorance of that penitent thief. He knew
nothing about what was going to happen, but he trusted Christ; and if I can
not understand all about this crucifixion with Christ, and the death to
sin, and the life to God, and the glory that comes into the heart, never
mind, I trust my Lord's promise, I cast myself helpless into His arms, I
maintain my position on the cross. Given up to Jesus, to die with Him, I
can trust