The Center of Attention

For to us a child is born

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

and over his kingdom.

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty

will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

If you had come to our home around the first of December, you would have noticed several nativities, with the people and animals evenly spaced, focusing their attention on baby Jesus.  You would notice the profile or front view of each figure.  After the grandkids arrived, several of the nativities now have a different look.  You mostly see the back side of the animals and characters because all are squeezed in as close as they can get to see baby Jesus.  Jesus is the center of attention. 

 Mary (5), Ryen (4), Della (1), Sawyer (2), David (7), Daniel (2)

What a sweet reminder that Jesus desires to be the focus of our attention every day.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful that if no matter whom we are with or what we are doing, because our heart’s affection and mind’s attention are focused on Jesus, that it makes a difference in what we say, do, think, act, and respond. 

 

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,” which means “God with us.”

Matthew 1:23

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

I John 4:9-11

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Luke 2:15-18

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

I Corinthians 15:3-4