An Easter craft…The Light of the World

Make the most of every opportunity…even in your crafts, let the Light of the World shine on your precious children…

Because Easter is about new life—the resurrection of our Savior—I use eggs to teach my teeny ones about dying to our old selves and new life in Christ. And because He IS the Light of the World–pairing the egg symbolizing new life with a candle–leads to sweet discussion about our Savior who offers an abundant, radiant new life for those who believe…

You can find my step by step guide for this craft in the craft link (later tonight), but may these verses be your true inspiration as you guide your family to celebrate the true reason of Easter…the baskets, bunnies and egg hunts are fun…but only He can change the heart. He is the reason we celebrate Easter. The cross brought death, but 3 days later brought the reason we celebrate. Do you believe the Easter story? Do you believe He died on the cross and 3 days later He was raised from the dead? Have you experienced the miracle of Him in your heart? Well, I have! And call me crazy (it’s Crazy Love I tell ya), but there is nothing more I want my children to take from Easter than understanding what it is really about…

Easter Kids Devotional and Craft: Egg Candles

As you take out the eggs…talk to your children about when they obey the Lord and His ways and when they choose not to obey. When we choose not to obey, this is sin. Our YUCK (or yolk;). But just as an egg is a symbol of NEW LIFE we are also offered a new life when we ask Jesus into our hearts. When we have Jesus in our hearts, we will be new—and each day we can walk with Him, talk with Him whenever we want and He will lead and guide us—being our light in the darkness.

As you dye your eggs…talk to your children how each of us look different. How we each have different gifts from God. But how the Lord loves each of us the same. The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). Ask them how they are different. Ask them what they think their special gifts are. Help them see how the Lord has given them different qualities, and remind them how much He loves them.

As you clean out the eggs…talk to your children how even in our yuck–the Lord still loves us. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This means no one is perfect, we have all disobeyed and we all are in need of a Savior to forgive and lead us in new life. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that He sent His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” But God didn’t wait until we lived perfectly before He spoke to our hearts…“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).So, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He died on the cross, to offer us new life. He wants to break us…giving us a heart that is repentant…and make our hearts like His.

As you fill the eggs with wax…tell your children how He wants to fill their hearts with Him–with His Holy Spirit. God wants to fill us up with Himself and make us new—give us a new life. Jesus says in John 3:3, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again.” Being born again means becoming a new person through Christ. It means loving through Christ…living through Christ and falling in love with Him as you spend time with Him each day. In Romans 12:2 the Bible says for us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and then we will know His direction for our lives—so daily we come to Him and seek His truth and guidance. When a friend is having a hard day…what can we do to help them? We seek God and ask Him how He wants us to care for them and love them. When our sister or brother is unkind, we can go to Him and let Him be the one who fill us and then go to our sister or brother and love them as He would love them—anyway…regardless. As He fill our hearts–we can shine as He shines.

As you light your new candle…tell your children how He is the reason for Easter—He is the light of the world. “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12) This Easter, when you see these candles burning—let them be a reminder that we are offered new life in Christ, that He is the light of the world so faithful to forgive and redeem us and that we are to now shine our lights so others may know Him and get to experience life through Him. “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Thank you Lord for being a light in the darkness. Thank you that we are offered new life in You. Thank you for loving us while we were still sinners—full of yuck…for cleansing us and making us new. Use us Lord as we shine our lights to the world—may our lives be living sacrifices to you…a fragrant aroma as we live lives to bring glory to Your name.

Happy Easter!

XOXO,

Andrea