The Heart of Easter: Eggs
I remember hunting eggs at my grandparents, parks, and other family residences growing up, but the most memorable Easter egg hunts have been watching my children, nieces and nephews over the years. One year in particular my siblings and I asked my Dad not to purchase 5 pounds of those sugar covered marshmallow filled eggs called hide and seek eggs pictured on the right. We all agreed that we did not like them, in addition to the fact that we preferred our children have the protein of hard-boiled eggs and not all the sugar he had purchased year after year. Needless to say my Dad did not listen to us, and to his surprise the grand kids left his sugary eggs on the lawn, filling their baskets with real eggs instead. He just knew we had told them to stay away from the candy, and he was not at all amused. Fortunately, he never bought those awful things again.
Eggs are a big part of Easter tradition in our family and most others. We dye them in various colors and enjoy that process as much as we enjoy hiding, hunting and finding them, but have we ever thought about how the egg relates to the real story of Easter: the resurrection of our Savior?
There are many elements of Spring that are symbolic of what Christ did for us on the first Easter, and we will start here with the symbolism of eggs. The shell of the egg is thought to be an example of the tomb that held the body of Christ for 3 days. It is also thought to show protection for the baby chick before it is ready to hatch. The hatching itself is similar to Christ’s resurrection from the grave. The hatching of the baby chick is also symbolic of the new life that we gain through Christ in His resurrection from the grave.
While Easter for many is just the sign that Spring has begun and white shoes are back in style for a few months, it is important that we celebrate the real meaning and share it with others. Christ took on all the sin of the world and died for our sake so that we might live. He was buried in a borrow tomb for 3 days before rising from the dead and taking His rightful place at the right hand of God the Father. In His stead He left the Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf. There is nothing more wonderful about Spring and the Easter season than these truths. How will you incorporate these into your holiday celebration and take this opportunity to share the love of Christ with your family?
For more on the real meaning of Easter check out http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?ArticleID=422
