Darkness to Light: Preparing Your Family for Easter

The two most significant events on the Christian calendar are Christmas and Easter. It is troubling that we put so little emphasis on Easter. While we are busy months in advance planning for Christmas, Easter seems to creep up on us with very little planning and focus. But Easter should be a BIG deal! Easter is the day we celebrate the empty tomb and Jesus’ victory over death! Jesus is offering light to the world and bringing us out of the darkness.

This year, we encourage you to take time with your family to read God’s Word and prepare your hearts for Easter together, and we have created a special resource to guide you along the way: Darkness to Light, a devotional guide specifically designed for families.

This guide is inspired by the heart of Lent, a season observed by many believers throughout history as a time of spiritual preparation for Easter. The season of Lent is traditionally observed during the 40 days before Easter (excluding Sundays) to reflect Jesus going into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray about His upcoming ministry. Although it was a time of deprivation, it was also a time of dedicated prayer and communion with the Heavenly Father. This was also the devil’s opportunity to test Jesus and attempt to dissuade Him from following His calling.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.

Matthew 4:1–2, NIV

Using Jesus’ time in the wilderness as a model for worship, we want to encourage you to use the next few weeks as a time of prayer, repentance, and recommitment leading up to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter. We have created this simple book of seven devotionals to use with your family as you gather around the table.

Using Candles as Part of Your Tradition

Many of us are visual learners, and candles are a great way to mark the passage of time toward an upcoming celebration. If you would like, you can use the devotionals in this guide along with any grouping of six candles to add a visual component to your family time.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:5, NIV

Your candles symbolize the Light of the World, the Light that was God’s glory and that illuminated God for us. As we move through the season preceding Easter, the candles are snuffed out one by one until all are dark on Good Friday when Jesus died, and the earth was covered with shadows. It seemed then as if darkness had won. The Light of the World had been extinguished. It was finished.

But NO! Easter brings resurrection! Life! Return from death! The Light has won, and all the candles are lit again as we praise Him—the Light of the World, the Bright Morning Star, the Glory of God.¹

Download Easter Guide

We are so excited to share this new resource for you and your family to prepare for Easter. Use the link above to download: Darkness to Light.

If you are new to preparing for Easter or want to find additional resources, please read Celebrating Lent with Your Family for tips and ideas on how to get started.

Additional family Easter resources can be found on our printables page: Journey Through the Season of Lent.