“Who Will Help to Bury Me?”

Terrance L. Culp
John 19:38-42 (KJV)
38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

One day in the year 2000, in my hometown, my infant son and I were riding in my recently purchased first car. I was so elated to have transportation I forgot one of the most important components: gas. I ran out of gas right down the street from the gas station. I looked around in dismay at the daunting task of how I would get to the gas station. With no phone and no other prospects, I got out of the car with my infant son and started walking. After 10 minutes, a young lady pulled up behind me and said, “I just couldn’t let you walk down this road with the baby.” She gave me a ride to the gas station and back to my car. In one of my vulnerable moments, I was cared for by someone whom I did not know.

I have learned that you will often be cared for in those vulnerable moments not by those whom you know, but by those who simply have compassion for you. Do not be deterred by the unavailability of those with whom you are familiar: God always places someone or something in our path to help to “bury” us. Joseph and Nicodemus were not the better known affiliates of Jesus, but they were there in Jesus’ most needful moment. Be confident that God always sees you and has those in place who will help to wrap you, preserve you, and bandage you in your time of need. The above scripture reference is not a story of doom and gloom, for we know that Jesus rose from the dead. The bandages and spices simply helped to preserve what would soon resurrect. You will resurrect soon. Until then, allow the linen and spices that are being applied to you to preserve you.

Prayer: Give us this day, our daily bread…

Terrance L. Culp, Associate Minister
The Life Cathedral
Orangeburg, SC
www.twitter.com/terrancelculp

THANK YOU! Thanks to all of the Lenten Journey guest writers for 2010 on this site. All of them have written powerful and  prolific messages that helped us all Journey To The Heart of God. Special thanks goes to Rev. Roderick Belin, Kiros Community AME Church, Nashville, Tennessee, www.ibelin.me. He helped organize the messages and the messengers. Praise God! Each writer’s contact information, web wite, blog or email is located at the end of each message. If you liked what you read, please let them know. Blessings! VMM