Tsidkenu, My Righteousness
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD our righteous Savior.”
Jeremiah 23:5-6
This devotional is a wonderful way to get ready for Easter. Long before Jesus was born, God spoke to the young prophet Jeremiah and promised a Savior who would be perfectly righteous. He gave this Savior the name YHWH Tsidkenu “The LORD Our Righteousness.” Through this story, we can help our littles understand what it means that Jesus is our righteousness and show them that God always keeps His promises.
Here’s how:
Engage:
Long before Jesus was born, the people of Israel were waiting for a Messiah, which means anointed or chosen by God to save. They thought this Savior would be a mighty king who would fight their enemies and rule in a palace. But when Jesus came, He didn’t look like what they expected.
Ask your little:
“What do you think a King should look like?”
“Where do you think a King should live?”
Explain:
The people were waiting for an earthly king and an earthly kingdom.
Jesus came to bring God’s Kingdom to earth and make a way for us to know the Father.
Jesus lived a humble life, He didn’t live in a palace, and He suffered so He could understand everything you and I will ever go through.
Jesus lived a perfect life, which means He never did anything wrong and always did what God wanted. This is what righteousness means, being in right standing with God. Because of Jesus, we can be made right with God too.
Apply:
Ask your little:
“Do we always do the right thing?”
“Have you ever made a mistake?”
Explain:
Sometimes we make wrong choices, that’s called sin. But Jesus never sinned. He lived a perfect life for us.
Because of Jesus, when we trust Him, God sees us as righteous (made right with Him).
That means:
We are forgiven
We are loved
We belong to God
Practice:
When you make a mistake, you can say: “Jesus, thank You for forgiving me. Thank You for being my righteousness.”
We don’t do good things to earn God’s love, we do them because we already have it.
Repeat & Reinforce:
Torn → Restored Cross Art: Have your child tear up a piece of paper (representing brokenness/sin), then use those same pieces to rebuild and form a cross. It visually shows how Jesus takes what’s broken and makes something new.
Hidden Message (Resurrection Reveal): Write “He is risen” or “Jesus saves” in a way that’s hidden at first (like pressing lightly or using a resist technique), then let your child color over it until the message suddenly appears, like the surprise of the resurrection.
Palm Branch Parade: Have your child make palm branches (paper, cutouts, or simple drawings) and parade around like the crowd in Jerusalem shouting “hosanna!”
Jesus Covers Us: Have your child drape a “blanket” over a plush toy or even over themselves. Explain that Jesus’ righteousness covers our mistakes and makes us right with God.
Closing Thought:
YHWH Tsidkenu, The LORD Our Righteousness. Perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. He makes us right with God and loves us always!
I’ll leave you with this 7 min video “The Story of Jesus' Death for Kids” from minno laugh and grow bible.
For even more hands-on fun, pair this mini-devo with the activity sheet below.
Love,
Gi 🤍
Tsidkenu Activity Sheet
Through these activities, our littles will explore the concept of Righteousness, learning that we are made right with God through Jesus, while practicing phonics, rhyming, and fine motor skills.
Page 1: "R is for Righteous" Focus Sheet
Literacy & Phonics: An "Underline the R words" challenge featuring words like Risen, Remember, and Rejoice to help with letter recognition and sound.
Artistic Expression: A dedicated space to "Draw Palm Branches," encouraging creativity and connection to biblical imagery.
Guided Prayer: A simple, heartfelt prayer thanking Jesus for making us "right with the Father," perfect for reading aloud together.
Page 2: Rhyming Match Challenge
Phonological Awareness: A colorful "Circle the Rhyming Image" activity. Children will match biblically-themed words (like Cross, King, and Dove) with everyday objects to strengthen their hearing and speech patterns.
Visual Engagement: Bright, friendly illustrations that keep young learners focused and excited.
The Story of Jesus' Death for Kids (The Easter Story for Kids, Pt. 3) - Minno Laugh and Grow Bible
