UNBOUND!

"(Simon Peter) saw the linen wrappings lying (in the tomb), and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself."

(John 20:6-7)

I read again today the familiar Easter story of Peter running to the empty tomb & seeing Jesus' grave clothes lying empty.  John makes a point of saying that Jesus' head wrap was neatly rolled up on the side.  My first thought was, "Wow... his mom must have taught him to make his bed every morning when he awoke!" (like my mom did!).  But then I noticed the OTHER wrappings weren't rolled up, they were just lying in a pile.  Why the difference?  Was Jesus in a hurry & couldn't finish folding?  Were the body cloths too much to roll up?  Or did it just look pretty cool lying there - like the skin from a lizard after molting (guess what kind of pet I had as a kid?!)?

Then I noticed a note in my Bible: "Compare 11:44."  John 11 is the story of Lazarus - the one whom Jesus raised from the dead.  In verse 44, when Lazarus walks out of the tomb, Jesus tells the crowd to "unbind him."  He was still wrapped up... still 'mummified'.  But in John 20, Jesus didn't need anyone to unbind him.  He was already unbound!  He took care of it himself.  What's the point?  Was Jesus the original escape artist (before David Blaine & Houdini!)?  Or maybe this was the author's way of telling us that NOTHING can hold Jesus.  not a tomb... not graveclothes... not death.  He has conquered all!

For us as followers of Jesus, that means we share in that freedom.  We may not "conquer all" in this life.  Let's face it, life is hard.  Troubles come.  Evil hits.  But we will not be left on our own... we'll never be abandoned.  The One who conquers will see us through!  And even when this earthly life comes to an end, we will escape the bonds of our bodies & live eternal in God's glorious kingdom.

And it has absolutely nothing to do with making our beds!  lol

What a comforting thought.  AMEN!