You run through the city, which is fairly empty at this time of day. People are late to stir after such a feast. While they all were celebrating God’s salvation, you were feeling God’s abandonment.
But
not now. You have a hope which you never even considered, a light out of the
ashes. The thought spurs you on. You run faster, out of the gate, past
a group of Roman soldiers, right behind Peter, turning down the hill, towards
the tomb.
The sun rises behind you, cresting the hills, shining beams of light through the branches of trees. A light mist still settles on the ground. The grass and plants are glistening with dew and condensation. The whole world seems to sparkle in the morning glow.
The path turns and twists, becoming a little steeper. Your momentum keeps you going. You couldn’t stop if you wanted to. A little cloud of dirt rises behind you, in the face of Peter.
Birds are singing. Even while breathing heavy you hear their lilting songs, many different voices serenading the morning, so appropriate, so perfect. Flowers on the trees are bright purple in the light. The whole area seems glowing in a rainbow of wildflower colors. The yellow lined path gives way to reds and oranges along the hill sides. Even the grass is a brighter, lush green, Spring in all its glory shines forth.
There it is, the tomb. Open! The stone is rolled aside. Something has happened!
You continue on, but stop when a thought hits you. They took him. They took him away. The priests stole him so he wouldn’t be venerated. Where would they take him? How? You heard guards were posted here all day yesterday. No guards were here now. Were they pulled away? Were they attacked? No. If they had been attacked, the regiment would have been called out. Something else, something else happened.
Your run becomes a walk. John is standing outside of the tomb now, looking in, his hands resting along the walls. The rising sun shines into the tomb.
Peter moves past you, and yells at John, “What do you see? Is he in there?”
“No,” John replies. He doesn’t turn your way. “Nothing. Just the linen. Just the linen, Peter. He’s gone.”
“Move,” Peter says, shoving John out of the way.
You stand next to John, unable to see in for yourself.
Peter yells from inside, “Why would they leave the linen strips? The whole burial cloth is here, folded, like someone was wanting to keep everything nice and tidy. What’s going on here? What’s going on here?!”
John goes in. You stand at the entrance. Peter was right, it is very neat. The burial cloths are nicely folded, neatly placed where his feet should be, folded like blankets after a night’s use.
Peter had stepped over some of them, but you notice footprints in the soft dirt. Bare feet had walked out of the tomb. You looked around the ground, they were only going out, not in.
“He’s alive,” you whisper. “He is alive.”
Peter and John look at you. You point to the footprints. John leans against the wall of the tomb, Peter falls to his knees, his arms where the body used to be. His head bows. He grabs hold of the linen strips and pulls them close.
“He’s alive,” Peter says, “John, he’s alive.”
He stands up, you turn around and begin the walk back. John and Peter follow
you.
Could this be true? He’s alive? You felt his skin. He was cold by the time he was in the tomb on Friday. You know he was dead. Now he’s alive? Where is he now? Where did he go?
Maybe he already is with the others. You begin to jog back up the hill, but some sobbing stops you. John and Peter continue past, towards the city. The crying is coming from within a grove of olive trees, a woman. You go to find her and see what is the matter. This is not a morning for crying, this is a morning to join the birds in singing!
You believe it now, what the women said is true. Jesus is alive!
My Jesus, you were dead and now you live. I too was dead in my sins, buried and lost. Your life brings me life, your hope brings me hope, your resurrection restores me so I can be a new person. Even though I doubted and have been confused, you still seek me out, you overcome all things on my behalf. May you fill my heart with the joy and peace of your Life. Thank you, Jesus! Thank you for your life now in me!