Imagine walking through this dimly lit trail. Breathe in the crisp air and hear the crackle of the leaves and small branches giving way under your feet. If you're like me, you probably get an eerie feeling that someone is following you. When that thought occurs, all rationale is gone. Some might even begin to walk faster in the name of taking this chance to burn more calories. Some might begin to talk out loud or sing to calm the nerves. Hopefully you would not be the person that asks the vast darkness, "Who's there?" (let's be honest, that outcome is not favorable according to the movies!) A fascinating thing happens in situations like this one. Our minds get the best of us. It would seem we as humans could control the things that go on in our mind, but if you have been on planet earth longer than 15 years, you know that is not the case.

One of my favorite shows on cable television is a crime drama called Criminal Minds. It is your basic crime show; however, the way the criminals are caught is a bit different than the "normal" way. This show follows FBI criminal profilers as they work individual cases using behavioral analysis. Although the show is scripted, the part of the show that gets me everytime is how they are able to guess each criminal's thought process. This idea of understanding a person's thought process is what leads us to our final devotional of the 40days devotionals.

Our text in John 20 is an account of events that happen after the crucifixion of Christ. It's early... really early. The disciples are abruptly pulled out of their slumber by a woman telling them Jesus is not where they had put Him. Two of them are moved to action by this news. Enter in Peter and the one whom Jesus loved (which is how John refers to himself in his gospel account...notice how later on he slides in the details about being faster than Peter as well; very subtle John). They take off running to the tomb where Jesus had been laid.

I can't even begin to imagine what thoughts would have been running through their minds at this point. I can begin to see it played out on the big screen...flashbacks of the stormy waters calmed, the triumphal entry, sitting with Jesus at the last supper, watching him suffer during the crucifixion, seeing Jesus throw down in the temple, him laughing about an inside joke, seeing him transfrom into glory on the mountain top.

Peter arrives second but manages to be the first in the tomb. John joins him shortly after. Both are eyewitnesses to the news that had been reported to them. Jesus is not there. The cloth is there, but the Christ isn't. However, the text leads us to believe (in v.9) that the disciples still didn't understand that Jesus had risen but rather that his body simply wasn't there.

We read this passage now with the rest of scene already played out. We know what happens after this passage. However, my mind is drawn back to what Peter and John could have been thinking about during that walk back. What were their thoughts when they encountered post-victory Jesus? What were their thoughts about the scene before the crucifixion? Would they get the chance to see Jesus again?  I often wonder what their thoughts would have been on Friday night and then compare them to the thoughts in their mind when they see Jesus's holely hands. The disciples were just normal guys, who probably would have walked a bit faster on the dark trail we discussed earlier. What do you think your thoughts would have been?

During my time leading worship in Arizona, I wrote a song for an Easter service. The theme of the service focused on the darkeness surrounding Good Friday and Saturday and the hope and joy of Sunday. I have attached a copy for you to listen to, and hopefully it will offer a unique perspective into the thought process of the disciples pre and post resurrection. It was written to do just that. The title is Breaking The Dawn.

http://soundcloud.com/exoworship/breaking-the-dawn