“Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrapping lying there and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed.”    (Jn. 20:6-8)

When Peter and John got to the tomb on Easter morning, they found Jesus’ burial clothes rolled up. Peter didn’t understand what he was seeing, but John understood and believed Jesus had been raised from the dead. If Jesus’ body had been stolen, the clothes would’ve either been taken away or trashed.

Who rolled up the clothes? Since we don’t hear about anyone else being there when Jesus was raised from the dead, let’s assume He did the tidying up.

After suffering and dying, facing the forces of evil, lying in the tomb for three days, and being raised, it’s interesting to think about Jesus folding the burial cloths before He did anything else.

Our lives are filled with daily, ordinary, often-mundane chores. We set the table, cook meals, wash dishes, do laundry, run errands, mop floors, and scrub bathrooms. If Jesus did indeed fold up His own burial clothes, we can assume that He knows and cares about our daily chores and that He wants to join us when we do them.

When we invite Jesus to join us during our daily duties, they can become moments of fellowship and transformation. With Jesus at our side, our boredom or fatigue with daily upkeep may lessen, if not cease altogether. Although Jesus has more things for us to do than simply doing the laundry with Him, let’s not reject that He may have begun Easter morning by folding towels.

Today I encourage us to hold together the great things and the ordinary things Jesus wants to do with us. If Jesus didn’t dismiss or despise the small things, let’s not think or act like He won’t join us while we do them.

Jesus cares about the salvation of the world. He also cares about being with us as we go about the daily acts of kindness we do for others and the daily acts of upkeep we do for ourselves.

Reflection Questions:

1. If you thought more about Jesus joining you for your daily tasks, how might your attitude about doing such tasks change?

2. Where or how do you most need to remember the presence of Jesus being with you during your day? Your morning or evening rituals? Your commute to or from work? Your duties at the office or at home?

3. Jesus didn’t dismiss or despise the small things. He doesn’t want us to do so either. Are there any small or regular things you’re going to invite Jesus to start sharing with you?