A long time ago, an enormous group of people found themselves on one side of an uncrossable river looking longingly to the other side. They had traveled a long time to get to this place, but there was no bridge, no ferry, and no way to get to the other side.
Until GOD!
God worked an incredible miracle and made it possible for them to cross the river without even getting their feet wet. It was amazing – a day you would never forget.
Or would you?
They were a people prone to forgetting, and God knew it. So He told them to collect 12 big rocks from the river bed and to stack them up on the other side of the river. Their children would have this monument to see and to question for generations to come. They would have a visual reminder of what God had done that wonderful day.
We too are a people prone to forgetting. And so we have days like Easter and Christmas to remind us. Through the years, we have added Advent and Lent as seasons of remembrance.
Lent is the 40 days before Easter beginning on Ash Wednesday, which is February 26 in 2020. The 40-day period represents Christ’s time of temptation in the wilderness, where He fasted and where Satan tempted him. Lent asks believers to set aside a time each year for similar fasting, marking an intentional season of focus on Christ’s life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection. Easter has become maybe even more commercialized than Christmas. While in a store recently, I looked through the Easter decorations to find a small table decoration for Sunday mornings. Easter eggs, bunnies…plenty of those, but nothing that even hinted at the Christian meaning of Easter.
Celebrating Lent will help you take back Easter for your family.
How do you do it?
- Be realistic. 40 days is a long time for kids. Carefully pick the activities that will work for your family and then edit. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. You don’t want your kids moaning about one more Lent “thing” before Easter rolls around.
- Think “hands-on”, visual activities. Remember the Advent candles? They’re a visual reminder of the passing of the Sundays of Advent, and kids like lighting candles. Choose activities that will get your kids involved through sight and touch and sound.
- Look for resources that suit your family. At the end of this article, you will find a list that will help you get started.
- Remember the purpose in observing Lent – to remember what Jesus did when He died and rose again. Don’t let Lent become something you check off a list. Take time yourself to be still and to ponder the wonder of the incarnate God dying and then rising again because He loves you so much.
Celebrating Lent can be a memory tool for your family, remembering the greatest gift we have ever been given. Give it a try. Create a new tradition for your kids, and make sure they don’t join the ranks of those who are prone to forget.
Lent Resources
Books
- The Wonder of Easter: An Easter Journey for the Whole Family by Ed Drew
- The Garden, The Curtain, and the Cross by Carl Laferton (Coloring Book also available)
- Good Dirt: Lent, Holy Week & Eastertide by Lacy Finn Borgo and Ben Barczi
Website Links
- http://whatsinthebible.com/what-is-lent-and-why-do-christians-celebrate-lent/
- http://thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-bother-with-lent/
- http://kidsfriendly.org.nz/lenthome/
- http://kidsfriendly.org.nz/sharing-lent-and-easter-with-children/
- https://feelslikehomeblog.com/2016/02/16-simple-lent-activities-for-kids-for-all-christians/
