Empty Never Looked So Beautiful

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!' So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)"

-John 20:1-9

If you google the word empty you will find a range of definitions like "holding or containing nothing", "lacking purpose or substance; meaningless", "lacking force or power", "needing nourishment; hungry", "devoid; destitute". Overall, pretty depressing, but, be that as it may, this is how our world thinks when it comes to being empty. We picture hungry bellies, wallets lacking funds, and lives filled with sadness and loneliness.

There is, however, one portrayal of emptiness that contradicts every worldly definition: an empty tomb. For me, this image is not one lacking purpose, power, or meaning. It is quite the opposite, in fact. Full of promise and power and love. An act that, in an instant, became the center of the universe. One life-altering,    

history-making, world-changing occurence that gave us everything we will ever need. Distant power made available through a sacrifice and a return. Hope found, faith restored, and joy unimaginable all created through an empty grave. He rose. He returned. He followed through on His promise to us all.

Nothing about His tomb was empty...

Graves are an interesting concept because the only one we recognize as a society is the one we end up in after we die. But if you really think about it, we dig our own metaphoric graves all the time. Depressing thought, I know, but still very true.

Have you ever felt like you have run head first into some impossible obstacle so overpowering and all consuming you can barely breathe? Grave.

Or a situation you think you will never be able to conquer so you try to avoid it all together? Grave.

Or, even when dealing with something or someone who has so much control over you that you act in such a way that you don't recognize yourself at times? Grave.

An obsession? An idol? A painful memory  in which you can't let go? Grave. Grave. Grave.

The list goes on and on. From the outside everyone's may look different, but from the inside they are all just four walls of seemingly insermountable, self-created "dirt" that continues to pile up higher and higher until you feel like one is going to cave in on you. The result: we end up slumped down in the corner dirty from head to toe from our personal efforts to break free. Yes, we all dig our own "graves", and we are dang good at it. At least, I know I am.

Realization moment: because of a man who could not be held down by death, because of the One who rose from His very own self-made grave, we have hope everlasting. He died so we may live. He broke free from death so that we all may be free. He rose, folded His linen cloth and placed it where His head once laid to show He would not be back. It was finished and so it all began...

Now, it is our turn. So what do we do? Well, for starters, I know we need to take our dirt-covered hands away from our faces and have the courage to simply look up. As surrounded and trapped as we may feel at times, because on this day He rose from the grave, there are no ceilings! There is only light shining through the top of those four walls guiding us all the way to our beautiful escape. There is such hope and reassurance in knowing that.

Who would have thought that an empty tomb would end up being the most beautiful image of them all?


Such a beautiful, happy day! I hope your Easter weekend was as great as mine! I leave you with this song, "Glorious Day", from Casting Crowns. They are an absolute favorite of mine.



Happy Easter!!!