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The face cloth…folded up in a place by itself.

“Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself” (John 20:6-7). What is the significance of the folded face cloth? Certainly, it signals to us that this was not the work of a hurried grave robber. Nor the work of fearful disciples secreting away their Rabbi’s body. No. This single detail tells us so much.

Who but Jesus Christ would have folded this face cloth? More importantly, though, why would he fold it? With so much ahead of him—commissioning the disciples, restoring Peter, ascending to heaven—why would the one who just conquered death stop briefly to fold the face cloth that moments ago covered his dead countenance?

Because he is the Lord come to restore order. The God of the universe who looks after each detail. The Master of time who is never in a hurry. Everything is done with dignity and order. Of course he would fold the face cloth! What else would Jesus do but straighten his own tomb? He would not leave things messy. He who comes to straighten out our lives, creation itself, the world, the entire cosmos, could not overlook this one detail, a facecloth that needs folding!

Thank you, Jesus, for that folded facecloth! It tells us that no detail in our lives is too small for you. It assures me that he has a plan for why our grandchildren live so far away. A plan for our son who has wandered from Jesus. A plan for my knee that needs replacing. 

If Jesus stops to fold the face cloth, we can trust him to order our lives, too. Easter reminds us of this. He-Who-Folds-The-Face-Cloth can be trusted with every detail of our lives.