a folded napkin

I got to share the story of a folded napkin & Jesus' resurrection this morning! Here it is:

Matthew 28:1-8

28 "After the Sabbath, as the light of the next day, the first day of the week, crept over Palestine, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb to keep vigil. ² Earlier there had been an earthquake. A messenger of the Lord had come down from heaven and had gone to the grave. He rolled away the stone and sat down on top of it. ³ He veritably glowed. He was vibrating with light. His clothes were light, white like transfiguration, like fresh snow. ⁴ The soldiers guarding the tomb were terrified. They froze like stone.

⁵ The messenger spoke to the women, to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary.

Messenger of the Lord: Don’t be afraid. I know you are here keeping watch for Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ But Jesus is not here. He was raised, just as He said He would be. Come over to the grave, and see for yourself.⁷ And then go straight to His disciples, and tell them He’s been raised from the dead and has gone on to Galilee. You’ll find Him there. Listen carefully to what I am telling you.

⁸ The women were both terrified and thrilled, and they quickly left the tomb and went to find the disciples and give them this outstandingly good news."

John 20:2-10

^"2 Mary Magdalene darted out of the garden to find Simon Peter and the dearly loved disciple to deliver this startling news.

Mary Magdalene: They have taken the body of our Lord, and we cannot find Him!

³ Together, they all departed for the tomb to see for themselves. ⁴ They began to run, and Peter could not keep up. The beloved disciple arrived first ⁵ but did not go in. There was no corpse in the tomb, only the linens and cloths He was wrapped in. ⁶ When Simon Peter finally arrived, he went into the tomb and observed the same:⁷ the cloth that covered His face appeared to have been folded carefully and placed, not with the linen cloths, but to the side. ⁸ After Peter pointed this out, the other disciple (who had arrived long before Peter) also entered the tomb; and based on what he saw, faith began to well up inside him! ⁹ Before this moment, none of them understood the Scriptures and why He must be raised from the dead. ¹⁰ Then they all went to their homes."

As a kid, I never really used napkins. The food left on my fingers was either wiped onto my jeans, or licked off. Even now, I hardly use napkins. But my sister uses napkins, cloth napkins. It’s an effort to be earth-friendly and save money, not buying disposable napkins. I used to think using cloth napkins was silly, but after studying the Resurrection of Jesus, I am a big fan of cloth napkins.

In the Scripture reading, we have a story about a napkin…confused yet? It’s more commonly referred to as linen burial cloths, and these grave cloths were used to wrap around the body of the deceased. Two men, named Joseph and Nicodemus, covered the body of Jesus with a mixture of myrrh and aloes and bound the body in linen cloths. A cloth was placed over Jesus’ lifeless face and the body was left in the tomb.

What kind of thoughts must have gone through Mary’s mind then, when early in the morning she realized the stone was rolled away and an angel said of Jesus, “He is not here.”

He’s not here. 

He, Jesus, the beloved Rabbi and Teacher, who was innocently beaten, spit on, and mocked. He, the One while hanging on a cross forgave his murderers. He, after sipping sour wine proclaimed “It is finished.”

He’s not here.

Here, the newly hewn tomb in the middle of a garden. Here, a low burial chamber representing death and the end. Here, a place of grief, mourning, and hopelessness.

He’s not here.

Luckily, the angel didn’t stop there.

“Jesus is not here. He was raised, just as He said He would be. Come over to the grave, and see for yourself.”

What an invitation! Come over and see for yourself.

And when the disciples Peter and John finally made it to the grave, they did see for themselves. They saw burial cloths, the bands of linen and the face cloth.

If we just rush past the description of the cloths, we miss the richness and beauty of Jesus’ resurrection.

The Gospel of John tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Was that important? Absolutely!      Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it.

The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, ‘I’m done’.

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because…..….

The folded napkin meant, ‘I’m coming back!’

So let me read again this beautiful passage.

^{3 "}Together, they all departed for the tomb to see for themselves. ⁴ They began to run, and Peter could not keep up. The beloved disciple John arrived first ⁵ but did not go in. There was no corpse in the tomb, only the linens and cloths He was wrapped in. ⁶ When Simon Peter finally arrived, he went into the tomb and observed the same:⁷ the cloth that covered His face appeared to have been folded carefully and placed, not with the linen cloths, but to the side. ⁸ After Peter pointed this out, John also entered the tomb; and based on what he saw, faith began to well up inside him! ⁹ Before this moment, none of them understood the Scriptures and why He must be raised from the dead."

This is so significant. We can’t miss this! Yes, Easter is about new life, hope, and resurrection. Yes, it’s about redemption, victory, and freedom.

But Easter is also about napkins. It’s about the promise we have today. Jesus is not in the grave. He is not there. Death has been defeated. Shame, guilt, shackles, and the grave, that is finished. Thank God for the promise we have through the napkin. The folded face cloth is Jesus’ way of saying “I’m coming back!”

Oh that faith would well up inside us this Easter morning!

May we remember the words of Jesus before he died, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.”

May the folded napkin remind you of the promise, the hope that is for you this Sunday morning. Jesus is alive. And he’s preparing a place for us. He hasn’t forgotten us or left us as orphans. We need that promise. Because as joyous as this morning can be, with trumpets and Easter lilies and delicious meals with family, a part of our heart feels sad. If we’re really honest with ourselves, regardless of it being Easter, we feel heartbreak, whether due to rejection, a miscarriage, or a final goodbye. It matters not why our heart is heavy. No kind word can undo what has happened. And that’s okay.

Because absolutely nothing can undo what Jesus has done. His work on the cross and His victory over death are complete and forever. This life, this heartbreak is on this side of heaven. Jesus is preparing a place for us on the other side without the heartbreak, the striving, and the pain. Praise God!

So no matter where you are today, no matter what you’re going through today, may you take a folded napkin and whisper to Jesus “Thank you for this promise.” He’s alive! And because He lives, we also will live!

Happy Easter!

chairs

There is nothing quite like a good chair. A seat with four legs, usually with a back and arms provides support and rest for the one using it. There are many many kinds: office chair, wing chair, leather chair, slipper chair, club chair, klismos chair. Chairs are my favorite piece of furniture. In my 300 square foot habitation, I have three chairs, not counting the four kitchen table chairs. I love chairs.

I love chairs because of the feel you get when you initially sit down on a chair. It's as if your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and tibialis anterior sigh loudly, "ahhhh". There is rest and relaxation that comes from sitting on a chair.

Sometimes it's hard for people to sit on chairs. Not physically, necessarily, but in our day to day activities, there is often no time to sit. And there's no value in sitting. We think, "If I'm sitting, how can I accomplish all the tasks for that day? Walking or running enables me to reach the goal. Moving gets me somewhere. Effort results in reward."

If a person does sit, it's usually after working. At the end of the day, after making a meal, after exercising, then sitting comes. In most minds, it's walk, then sit.

But what does it really mean to sit? In order to walk and stand, our muscles must work to keep us upright and moving, bearing the weight of our own bodies on our legs. And when we're holding something, that too, our bodies must carry. We extend a lot of energy, straining our muscles, and ultimately grow weary. But when we sit in a chair, our entire weight rests upon that chair, along with the weight of that which we were holding. Immediately upon sitting, relaxation comes to our muscles because the strain of bearing the weight falls on that chair. We find rest and revitalization by sitting. Utter trust and dependence is upon that chair, for that chair to bear our weight and our burdens.

And everything is spiritual, so this isn't about a piece of furniture, but redemption.

The Christian life is all about dependence and trust, upon a chair, Jesus. When we sit down, we simply rest our weight - our to do list, our fears, our future, our relationships, our frustrations, our plans, our regrets, everything - upon the Lord. We no longer carry it.

Sitting is an attitude of rest, and it is the beginning of our faith journey. God worked six days and then rested. Man was created on the sixth day. As Watchman Nee said, "Clearly, then, [Adam] had no part in those first six days of work, for he came into being only at their end. God's seventh day was, in fact, Adam's first. Whereas God worked six days and then enjoyed his Sabbath rest, Adam began his life with the Sabbath; for God works before he rests, while man must first enter into God's rest, and then alone can he work." (Sit, Walk, Stand pg 4)

Because God worked and completed creation, Adam could begin his life with rest.

That's what the story of redemption is all about. Jesus traded places with us, bearing the load of our sins, nailing our guilty charges, mistakes, shame, record, and judgement to the cross. Paying the price we never could, Jesus cried "It is finished!" It's complete. It's done. The ultimate finale. Which is really our beginning. We do nothing to acquire, earn, or attain salvation. We simply rest...depending with utter faith that when we sit on the chair, Jesus, that He will bear our weight.

"Christianity begins not with a big DO, but with a big DONE." God gives us this rest in response to the finished work on the cross. Jesus worked for us, we didn't work for Him. On the ground of what Jesus did, through His blood, we have our redemption. The Voice translation says it beautifully in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it's by God's grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God's gift, pure and simple. You didn't earn it, not one of us did, so don't go around bragging that you must have done something amazing."

May we remember that the Christian life begins by us depending not upon our own doing, but upon the finished work of Jesus. May we first learn to sit before we try standing, walking or running. And may we see today that God pulls up a chair and says to us, "Please sit."

Avast Ye!

I used to think it was easy to do life with others. I thought relationships were nothing but fun, games, and mushy love. I thought singleness was the most refining season.

And then I met a pirate.

Yes, a pirate. Now, he's not a seadog, a landlubber, or a scallywag. He doesn't say "shiver me timbers", "blimey", or "ahoy me hearties". He doesn't sail the ocean blue or plunder treasure. But he is from the Caribbean, so that makes him a buccaneer. 

And because he's a man, in close relation with me, that makes him a teacher.

A teacher to me. Because everyday I'm with him, I learn something. 

I've learned real, delicious coconuts are not the brown, hairy coconuts you buy at HyVee.

I've learned "Whey me foo do?" means "What should I do?"

And I've also learned soccer goalies are really called 'keepers'. 

Besides opening my eyes to new truths of God and His love, he also shows me the depths of God's patience and grace.

Mostly though, life with this pirate has taught me about the ugliness of myself. Okay, maybe that's too harsh. But I never realized how selfish, how impatient, and quick to anger I am. I never realized how poor my communication skills are, or how I wear my emotions on my sleeves. After many, many days of doing life together, I have become comfortable and unadulterated, and he with I. We have misunderstood and hurt each other. We have disagreed and eaten meals in silence. And we have apologized and forgiven.

That's the thing about relationships, they're messy and refining. Sure, we have fun, lots of it...making meals, having dance parties, and playing volleyball. But, when I was single, I wasn't even aware of the depths of my selfishness. The pirate has opened my eyes to my faults. The pirate has shown me where I can improve. And the pirate has poured out much grace.

So I'm grateful. And I'm hopeful. Because the pirate also has nothing good in him, except the Spirit of God, living inside him...so together we'll keep growing. We'll disagree and make mistakes, but we'll keep changing. Because God doesn't intend that through this Caribbean/American relationship, we stay who we were nine months ago. No, He will keep using life, circumstances, and tough discussions to make us more like His Son, bringing all the glory to Himself.

So tonight, say "Thank You, Lord" for the pirate in your life. The one who pushes you to know God more, challenging and encouraging you. The one who points out the fact that God doesn't want to keep you where you are. The one who will be there in another nine months, extending a hug when you're upset, making you laugh, and cooking you really good Caribbean food. That pirate is a gift...appreciate the gift.

Thank You, Lord.

honestly honest

Most people think they value honesty. And maybe some part of them really does appreciate the frankness of a close friend. Sincerity and truthfulness are taught and encouraged from a young age. But something happens from Arthur the aardvark teaching honesty to doing life with people that dims the quality of honesty.

Now, we'd never actually say that. We're supposed to be honest and genuine. And most people probably want to be. But then, we put mascara on before leaving the front door. We threaten friends' lives if they ever post that awful picture on Facebook. We make sure the house is clean before inviting someone over for dinner. We tell half-truths when people ask how work is going. We pray as though it's the year 1611 and God is an englishman. And we compare our behind the scenes with someone else's highlight reel.

We try to have it all together. We try to be spontaneous, adventurous, bold and courageous. We yearn for a gentle, quiet spirit, organized and peaceful. We want to climb mountains, cook amazing meals, craft, blog, read, exercise, play music, take photos, and dance...all at the same time. We act like chameleons, adapting and changing, trying to be everything for every situation and every person. 

Or maybe, that's just me. 

I used to be scared to be honestly honest. And perhaps, I still am. But there's this call, this tug on my heart to be real. I've been reading some rich, honest blogs and books from the most sincere women: Shauna Niequist, Anne Lamott, Luci Swindoll, and Tina Fey. These writers have opened my eyes to the myth that everyone is living photo worthy lives. These women, each in their own way and their own words know how to be absurdly honest. It's so counter-cultural...opening your closet, showing someone your unorganized mess of a life. Vulnerability isn't easy, it's terrifying.

But yesterday, I sat in a dimmed room, listening to a woman sob about the lies she's been believing...of being a bad mom, a bad cook, a bad wife, and the tears rolled down my face. Shame shackles. Deceit cinches. Myths muzzle. Fraud restricts. Distortion diminishes. 

But honesty, that is freeing. Candid talk brings forth emancipation. Frankness is unabashed. Transparency is audacious. 

So if I'm honestly honest, I have a hard time sticking to a budget. I don't like initiating friendships and coffee dates. I read a lot so I can share with friends the author's thoughts and feelings, rather than my own. I have really nice eyebrows because sister #3 shaped them when I was in junior high and I've never strayed from that shape. 

If I'm honestly honest, I speak before thinking often. I like a recipe if the picture looks good. I've spent a lot of time forgiving myself for my previous profession. I like to talk about prayer more than I actually pray.

If I'm honestly honest, I am stronger than I realize. I always read the last paragraph in a book before starting from the beginning. I've never tanned or had a massage, and I don't feel like I'm missing anything. My love languages are words and quality time. 

If I'm honestly honest, I think leggings and flats should be worn everyday. I do a terrible job keeping in contact with old friends. I use white spray paint to cover up the rust on my car. And I don't wash my face every night.

The thing I'm learning about this honesty thing is...when one person is honest, it frees up everyone else to be honest. Not only do I experience freedom, but the person who struggles with the same thing can whisper "me too". 

You're not alone. We all have things we'd rather not admit about ourselves. But I nudge you today, own it. Give right to the reality of where you are today, and smile. In your honesty, you're freeing someone else.