“How many days to Easter?”
Fresh from a ministry trip to the UK and Germany, Cissie Graham Lynch relished these words from her daughter, Margaret.
The 5-year-old often comes downstairs in the morning to see her mom reading the Bible, then runs upstairs, get hers and comes back down—acting like she’s also reading.
There is power in imitation, according to the Bible.
“God’s Word is alive, it’s active and it’s piercing,” said Cissie, a ministry spokesperson for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. “There’s something powerful when a family, especially a mother, opens up the Bible with her children.”
Cissie is passionate about reading Scripture to her children, including 2-year-old Austin, at Easter and throughout the year.
“It’s so important that children know what God’s Word says,” Cissie emphasized. “Not just telling them the story, not learning through church productions but simply around your kitchen table, opening up God’s Word this Easter season and reading the story to your little children.”
She also recommends explaining it on their level.
Carrying On a Legacy
Growing up, Cissie remembers waking up to see both of her parents studying the Bible—when her father wasn’t sharing the Gospel around the world.
The same for her grandparents, Billy and Ruth Graham. “Even at an old age, when they could barely read, the Bible was open and Scriptures were printed on computer paper at like, 150 font. It was constant and it was alive.”
At Easter, Cissie is thankful for her own family’s traditions. They read Easter books, go to church, eat a big lunch and hunt for eggs with her husband’s family. The cousins usually scramble to find the golden egg, she laughed.
Even in light-hearted moments on this special day, the family is intentional about keeping Christ as the main focus.
The Meaning of the Cross
In her Easter devotional Arise, Cissie uses Scripture to explain restoration in Christ through the cross. “We wear it around our necks, we hang it on our walls as decoration” she writes, adding how casually people can treat this symbol of Christ’s sacrifice for us.
“The cross represents the nasty, despicable mess of this world—the ultimate darkness—but the world is overcome and made perfect through the blood of Christ and love of God, providing the hope of eternity. Christ’s ultimate sacrifice erased the sin of everyone who believes in Him. Jesus died, arms wide open, to create a direct path to the Father. He provides a bridge that takes us from our sin-filled humanity to the perfect home that awaits us in heaven.”
The cross represents truth, she added.
“Truth in a modern world seems to be relative to everybody’s personal belief. We live in a generation that’s still seeking truth more than ever.”
Who Can You Tell About Jesus This Easter?
For some, there’s no reason to celebrate Easter. In fact, many young people are tossing out the faith they professed as children, or don’t have a need for religion.
According to the Public Religion Research Institute, nearly four in 10 young adults have no religious affiliation. In many cases, they’re searching for life’s purpose in everything except God.
But He sent His Son Jesus to die on a cross for them, too.
How can you share the hope of Christ this Easter with the younger generation?
Studying and sharing Scripture to relay God’s Word is key, according to Cissie. She wants young people to be able to stand on His Word, so they can know that even when life is dark and unstable, God is unchanging.
“It’s the greatest time of the year to answer questions about the most important aspect of our Christian faith,” she added. For believers, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is evidence that God is real and that His Word is true.
“I want to challenge Christians at Easter to really study what the Bible says is truth so we know, in a world that’s coming against us, that we can stand strong on God’s Word.”
“Reflect on God’s Word that points to the resurrection, starting with God’s promise to Abraham, the fulfillment through Christ and in-between,” she said.
Where should I start reading in the Bible? Here are some tips.
Do you have a personal relationship with Christ? Pray now.
Cissie Graham Lynch is the daughter of Franklin Graham and granddaughter of Billy Graham. She is a ministry spokesperson for Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Cissie and her husband, Corey, have two children and live in Florida. Take a look at her blog here.
