This Easter we really wanted to point the kids to the cross, to explain and show them the love that is poured out through the cross. We want them to see that Easter is just as exciting as Christmas (if that is possible). In an effort to get excited as a family for this holiday we did a few activities - color pages, bible story reading, and our Resurrection garden.
It is a fun idea that I saw on a friends blog. It was a great way to have a conversation with the kids about the cross, Jesus paying the punishment of our sins, being put in the tomb, and raising from the dead three days later.
Our supplies before hand.
Owen loved playing in the dirt.
Eliana drew a picture of Jesus to go in the tomb, that now is out for Easter morning :)
And Daddy added the three crosses and the big rock for our "boulder"
Our Resurrection Garden is a great family conversation piece and will stick around for a while. It will definitely be a family tradition for years to come.
As the Easter Holiday will wrap up tomorrow with celebrations, eggs, food, and candy I am just feeling beyond thankful for this life. For my little family that went to our Good Friday church service and took communion together...
For my husband who is the most amazing leader and best friend that I could ask for. For a family that is supportive and loving beyond words. For friends that love me/us unconditionally.
And for a God who would have died on the cross just to save ME, just to save my family, just to save YOU.
There is an excerpt from David Platt's book Radical that I love. And gives an amazing picture of what Jesus did for us at the cross -
Listen to his words: "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me." The "cup" is not a reference to a wooden cross; it is a reference to divine judgment. It is the cup of God's wrath.
This is what Jesus is recoiling from in the garden. All God's holy wrath and hatred toward sin and sinners, stored up since the beginning of the world, is about to be poured out on him, and he is sweating blood at the thought of it.
What happened at the cross was not primarily about nails being thrust into Jesus hands and feet, but about the wrath due your sin and my sin being thrust upon his soul. In that holy moment, all the righteous wrath and justice of God due us came rushing down like a torrent on Christ himself. Some say, "God looked down and could not bear to see the suffering that the soldiers were inflicting on Jesus, so he turned away." But this is not true. God turned away because he could not bear to see your sin and my sin on his Son.
One preacher described it as if you and I were standing a short hundred yards away from a dam of water 10,000 miles high and 10,000 miles wide. All of a sudden that dam was breached, and a torrential flood of water came crashing toward us. Right before it reached our feet, the ground in front of us opened up and swallowed it all. At the cross, Christ drank the full cup of the wrath of God, and when he had downed the last drop, he turned the cup over and cried out, "It is finished."
This is the gospel. The just and loving Creator of the universe has looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent his son, God in the flesh, to bear his wrath against sin on the cross and to show his power over sin in the resurrection so that all who trust in him will be reconciled to God forever.
These words pierce me and force me into a posture of praise. Forces me to fix my eyes on Jesus and all He has done. I love what Jen Hatmaker writes in her Broken Hallelujah Post, she writes in a way that feels like a kindred spirit to me. And I just love these words at the end of her post...
Jesus, our Almighty King, our brother and Savior, is in glory, his suffering is done and our salvation is secure. This is our celebration. May Jesus find the Bride honoring the cross exactly like he told us to, for we are so terribly unworthy but somehow, miraculously, against all sense and reason, we are saved.
I pray that tomorrow/today, the Love of the Lord is overwhelming you, overtaking you. and overflowing from you!
Prayers and Blessings always - Dawn
1 comment:
Such a great post, Dawn. May we never forget or take for granted exactly what Christ did. May we never take it lightly or simplify what He did, but praise and worship Him for it.
Great pics of the littles. Love you friend!
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