Family Faith and Fun Fridays: When Jesus Took Those (Ouchy) Nails for Us…
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. -Hebrews 4:12
Welcome to Family Faith and Fun Fridays! As the week winds down and I anticipate more family time over the weekend, I often ask God for one good idea that will enable me to bring the Word to life and bring our family together. Usually, the activity overflows out of something the Lord has been teaching me through His Word during the week. I’d like to invite you to join me and my family in the adventure. Sometimes I’ll post things we’ve tried; other times I’ll post an idea in the works. If you’ve got thoughts to add or suggestions on how to adapt or improve the activity, please don’t hesitate to comment. Enjoy!
Family Lent Activity: Love Nailed to a Cross
During this season of Lent, I like to do all I can to turn my children’s eyes toward the cross. Not just on Good Friday, but all through this time of preparation and anticipation.
So when Josh found Daddy’s hammer yesterday and wanted to “pound some nails,” I invited him to try out this little activity and the result was a sweet lesson on the gift of Calvary.
We grabbed an empty aluminum can out of our recycling box, tore off the green bean label and scrubbed it clean on the inside. Then I used a Sharpie to draw the simple shape of a cross on the bottom of the can. I drew the cross with dots to represent the nail holes we were going to make.
Then, I found a nail with a fairly large head and showed Josh how to place the point of the nail on one of the dots and then gently hammer until he’d created a small hole. My tool-loving boy was delighted with the assignment. He missed the nail and found his finger a few times, but the “ouchies” were minimal compared to the pride he felt as he swung Daddy’s hammer.
When every dot had been hammered into a hole, we talked about how it might have felt to be Jesus on the cross. What would that have been like to have nails pounded into your hands and feet? Josh agreed that it would have hurt far more than missing the nail and hitting his finger with a hammer. In preschool terms, being hung on a cross with big nails would have been “SO SO OUCHIE that I’d want to CRY AND CRY AND NEVER STOP.” We talked about what a dark day that must have been for Jesus’ friends as they watched their Lord hang on the cross and die. But what the first followers of Jesus didn’t know was that God’s love was actually shining brightly on that day.
When Jesus took those nails for us, He became the Light of our Salvation.The LORD is my light and my salvation Psalm 27:1
When Jesus took those nails for us, He became the Light of our Salvation.The LORD is my light and my salvation Psalm 27:1
To illustrate this amazing truth, we grabbed a flashlight and put it underneath the can we’d just hammered. Then we turned out the lights and watched as the light shined through the holes in the shape of the cross.
When Jesus allowed the soldiers to nail Him to the cross, He gave us the gift of eternal light and life. Because of the cross, we will never have to live in darkness.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows— light! sunbursts of light!… For a child has been born—for us! the gift of a son—for us! He’ll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness. His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings. He’ll rule from the historic David throne over that promised kingdom. He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing and keep it going With fair dealing and right living, beginning now and lasting always. The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies will do all this. –Isaiah 9:7
You could bring that glorious truth to light this weekend in your home, too. Grab that hammer and nail some truth into the hearts of your children!
Note for parents of young ones: Maggie did this same activity with an empty oatmeal box and a screw driver. She just poked holes in the top of the box in a random pattern. The flashlight still created a beautiful picture when we put it under the container and turned out the lights.
I love how you gave an alternative for the younger ones! This is a great lesson!