All Eyes On Him

One of my favorite Christmas decorations is a nativity scene made in Italy in the 1940's. It belonged to my Great Grandmother, was passed down to my mother many years ago, and has since become part of the collection of decor my family puts out each December. 

Knowing how old it is, and the sentimental value it holds, tempts me to make it an "adult hands only" decoration, but years ago I decided to allow my children to be "hands-on" with all of our nativity sets. It's a simple idea but I have always wanted to them to know that Jesus is never off limits to them. 

So, with each of my four children, our nativity sets have been played with, and I've often found them in various interesting arrangements. A few days ago, I noticed the sweetest scene my daughter had set up with the figures. All of them, even the camels, cows, and sheep, we're placed in a circle surrounding Jesus. As soon as I saw this display, a thought entered my mind. Especially at Christmas, all eyes should be on Him!

We're often busy and rushed this time of year. We have a thousand things to do and never enough time to do them. With all the parties, present purchasing, gift wrapping, baking, family get-togethers, and other assorted festive activities, it's easy to look right past the real reason we celebrate. We can often feel overwhelmed, stretched past our limit, or even feel guilty for not doing enough to make this season magical. Just when I needed it, my daughter's set-up with the nativity figures helped refocus my heart on what really matters this Christmas. 

Maybe your to-do list is all marked off and you're ready to enjoy the holidays, or maybe you still have a long list of things to do.

Maybe you've been invited to multiple parties and family get-togethers, or maybe you've discovered that you were left off of the invitation lists.

Maybe this Christmas will be different for beautiful reasons, or maybe something devastating has caused things to change this year.

Maybe you are spending this season alone, or perhaps you have a house full of loved ones to celebrate with.

Maybe you're experiencing good health and prosperity, or maybe you're dealing with sickness or the loss of a job.

Maybe you're excited and looking forward to Christmas, or maybe you're struggling with depression and anxiety. 

No matter what life looks life right now, I pray my daughter's simple nativity display will remind you to put your eyes on Him, just like it did for me. When we intentionally place our focus and attention on the birth of our Savior, and let our minds dwell on who He is and all that He has done for us, the rest will fall into place. 

"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." Hebrews 12: 1b-2a (NIV)

There will still be to-do lists, family issues, life's challenges, and various emotions to navigate but allowing our gaze to remain on Him is the way this season is meant to be spent. As this Christmas comes and goes, may we all remember that our eyes should be on Jesus. Afterall, He is the real reason we celebrate anyway.

Merry Christmas!

Tori