Egg Number Twelve

I was thrilled when Madi came home from Junior Church yesterday with a carton of eggs that tells the story of Easter.  Did you ever make these as a child?  I remember my mom making them to teach us at home and to teach other children at church.  I was fascinated back then by the hands on illustration.  Madi was equally fascinated, and took the time yesterday evening to share her carton with me, egg by egg.  As we opened each egg and she told me about what was inside, we talked about the Easter story and what Jesus did for us.  I'm thankful her teacher took time to make these for each child!

When she opened Egg Number Four, she pulled out praying hands and told me they represented Jesus praying in the garden.  I told her that in the garden Jesus actually prayed God would take the cup of suffering away from Him but said, "Not My will, but Yours, be done."

I pondered that.  What full submission Jesus demonstrated.  He asked God to take the burden of the cross and our sin from Him; but He was willing to take it upon Him if it was God's will.

How often do I pray "Not my will, but Yours, be done?"

Jesus taught us to pray that way.  In Matthew 6, he instructed us to pray the Lord's prayer in which He prayed, "Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

My study Bible had a note on Matthew 6:10.  It said, "When we pray 'Your will be done' we are not resigning ourselves to fate, but praying that God's perfect purpose will be accomplished in this world as well as in the next."

God's perfect purpose for me will include full submission to Him. It will involve taking up my cross.  For Jesus, it included bearing a torturous death on the cross for our sins.

But it didn't stop there.  God's perfect purpose for Jesus also involved victory over death and the grave!  That is the best thing about the carton of eggs Madi brought home from church.  Egg Number Twelve is empty, because the tomb was empty!  Jesus Christ conquered death and sin and rose from the grave!  We  serve a risen Savior, and celebrate His resurrection in a special way at Easter!!

Ponder His submission.  Remember His suffering.  Celebrate His resurrection.  And teach these things to your children at church and at home in hands on ways, so they can learn to know and love Jesus Christ our risen Lord!