Great Gettin' Up Morning

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. (John 20:6-9)

When a few of Jesus' followers went early in the morning (as soon as the sabbath was complete) to the borrowed tomb where Jesus' body had been laid, they found that his body was gone but the cloth wrappings that had been on his head and body were left lying there. We learn, later in this same chapter of John, that Jesus' resurrection body still bore the scars of the crucifixion. Those scars would serve as evidence of all he had endured and overcome on our behalf. Jesus carried with him what would serve his mission and enhance his testimony -

and he left in the grave what did not.

As resurrection people who strive to get good at dying to self, we also strive to get good at getting up. We have opportunities everyday to choose what to carry with us and what to leave behind - what serves our calling, enhances our testimony, and what is unnecessary or stifles the flow of God's love through us. We can carry with us those experiences that will help us identify and empathize with others - those things that, by God's grace, enable us to extend grace. May we get up today, and everyday, emboldened by the wisdom and power of Christ to leave behind whatever inhibits our praise and impedes God's work in and through us.

Happy Resurrection Day!

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)