Don’t you love a good Easter basket? It’s not the pinnacle of a holy celebration of course, but those colorful baskets filled with goodies sure can be part of the family fun. Chocolate, jelly beans, Peeps, oh my! As parents we love to watch our kiddos discover their special stash of treats. We treasure their smiles and giggles, which add a big dose of joy to an already joy-filled holiday.

 

But.

 

Do our kids really need all that candy? No way. So lots of moms and dads opt to let the kids nosh on a few extra sweets Easter Day—in the spirit of festivity—but then? The rationing begins. We gather up the candy and stash it in the cupboard. We create rules around it. Only one piece per day! Only after you’ve eaten your broccoli! Only if you brush your teeth immediately, do you hear me??

 

Cruel parents! To give a gift and then to take it back! To limit it, cache it, demand our children to earn it!

 

Aren’t you glad God does not do that to us?

 

“For God so loved the world, he gave his one and only son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

 

God loves us. So He gave us a sweet gift—Jesus. That’s the reason for those Easter baskets in the first place. Christ’s death and resurrection mean we have eternal life. And nothing can take it away from us.

 

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39).

 

God’s love is so much better than chocolate. We can’t possibly consume too much of it. Chances are by the end of next week, our children will have mostly forgotten about their Easter candy. But they will still know our love. And they will still know that Jesus lived, died, and rose for them, long after we’ve wiped their sticky faces clean.

 

Isn’t that great news?

 

Happy Easter, everyone. May you know the sweet love of your Savior—and rejoice in His redemptive work on the cross for you.