I have days where I just want to grab my kids, lock all of us inside the house, and never come out.
One of them happened last Thursday.
It had been building in my heart for almost two weeks due to the saturation of Fifty Shades on my news feed. It began to bubble over after seeing the horrific martyrdom of the 21. Then it just came gushing out like a volcano when hearing more precious lives had been taken last week in the Middle East.
FEAR. A deep fear that begs me to ask the question, “How can I live and raise children in a world like this?”
I have been reeling ever since. I took my daughter to dance on Friday and my son to baseball practice on Saturday. We celebrated my husband’s birthday this weekend all in the comfort of our home– never fearing for our lives or our children’s innocence.
But so many do every. single. day. all over the world.
I have been working on The Easter Project to share with all of you this next week, and it has been difficult to think about crafts and snacks when there are children, mothers, fathers, families, on the other side of the world enduring such grief.
I have felt guilty that life goes on for me, but what about them?
This morning as I was praying and wrestling with this, God was gracious and kind to remind me WHO wins in the end.
If you have joined us for the Jesse Tree, you know the first few verses of Isaiah 11 well. It is the very verses where the Jesse Tree comes from–but if you keep reading– there’s a promise of justice and celebration to come.
but with righteousness he [Jesus] will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. Isaiah 11:4-10
Evil has been present in the world since the garden. The world has always been corrupt, hard, unjust at times. Even though it seems like justice is not served in the moment, His Word has told us how it is going to end.
Evil will be defeated.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down. Revelation 12:10
And He will stand as a banner for us. Jesus, the Lord, our overcomer.
In the meantime, we are His banner to the world. We are His banner to our kids, to our neighbors, to those we come in contact with every single day. He has not left us without hope and a helper.
This big world needs Jesus.
And our kids are in the big world, and we are raising them not just to leave the house one day but to become kingdom builders.
Friends, as we are beginning this Easter season, let us remember these things:
OUR KIDS NEED THE TRUTH. Just as we need daily doses of His truth, they need to know what is true, what is noble, what is right, what is lovely, what is admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8). This is found in God’s Word, so let’s share it with them.
THEY NEED TO KNOW THERE IS AN ENEMY. Behind the injustice and the evil things our children will hear or even encounter, it is important for us to remind them the enemy is Satan not the person…and how the story ends. Even more, that through Jesus, they have everything they need to “stand against the devil’s evil plans. (Ephesians 6:10)”
WE NEED TO PRAY, PRAY, PRAY for our children to walk in truth, to desire justice and mercy for those who have been hurt. Then, grace and forgiveness for those who offend. Let’s intercede for their hearts so they will be people who most of all love and draw people to Jesus.
THEY NEED US TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR WORLD. Our kids need us to listen to them…to hear their hurts and concerns, and have us pray on their behalf. They need to know we are for them. Though we will not fight their battles for them, they will know we stand with them.
And right now this all starts with gathering your children in your lap for a Bible story…
It’s making a tomb out of play-doh, it’s opening an egg to see it’s empty to illustrate how Jesus rose from the dead…
It’s taking jellybeans and a prayer to the neighbors…
It’s making resurrection rolls on Easter morning enjoying the sweetness of life in Christ…
It’s painting a butterfly because we are a “new creation.”
Every single little moment gently bends and directs our children’s hearts to Jesus.
And Jesus changes the world.
So, you see, we really do need Easter…we need the resurrection. We need the hope of His saving grace in our homes.
We need to be on our knees that we can daily step out of our homes and share His grace, His beauty, and His life with this world.
May we be a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.
{Join us in The Easter Project this year. Beginning March 1st, we will celebrate the resurrection by sharing devotionals, activities, and ways to fill your home with the life of Jesus!}
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