Family Lenten Craft and Reflection: The Cardboard Cross

God uses His law to reveal our need of His saving grace. As we study the Ten Commandments it can be a powerful spiritual exercise to reflect on specific ways we have fallen short of God’s good law even in the last week and to seek His forgiveness for our sin. We suggest the following family activity as way of let each commandment shine a light in our lives and then taking our burden of sin to the cross of Christ where, as the Lenten journey reveals, our salvation is accomplished.

Part 1: Making a Cross

1. Gather materials: a large piece of cardboard, scissors or a craft knife (adult use only), a ruler, pencil, tape or glue, and markers or crayons. (Some families may prefer to make a cross of wood or some other material.)

2. Draw a long rectangle for the vertical beam and a shorter rectangle for the horizontal beam. The size should be large enough to hang on a wall and hold several paper slips. For recommended dimensions, see Cross Visual.

3. Cut out both pieces.

4. Place the shorter piece across the longer one to form a cross. (Again, consult the Cross Visual for layout.) Secure them firmly with tape, glue, or staples.

5. Decorate the cross together. You may color it simply or write words like “Redemption,” “Forgiveness,” or “Mercy,” to remind your family of its meaning. Others may want to add nails, a crown of thorns (Mt 27:29), a sign reading INRI (Jn 19:19f), the purple ribbon for the robe the mocking soldiers forced him to wear (Mk 15:17).

6. Hang the cross on a visible wall so you can see it during your family prayers during Lent.

Part 2: Using the Cross During Lent

1. Each week of Lent (before Palm Sunday) you will read and discuss two of the Ten Commandments.

2. After each Friday fast, as part of your family prayer time, parents and children can write one honest confession of sin—one way we have failed to love God or neighbor this week—related to each commandment. Children who cannot write can draw a picture.

3. Write each confession on a small slip of paper. Fold the paper up so no one can see it.

4. Attach the slips to the cross with tape or string.

5. Close this exercise by saying Ps 32:5: “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” We can then thank God for His forgiveness in Christ and ask for strength to grow.

6. Over the weeks, watch the cross fill, reminding your family of repentance, grace, and Christ’s sacrifice.

7.Remember Col 2:14, that God canceled “the debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”