A Christmas Wish

Hidden in Plain Sight

Pause for a moment and consider the following question:

What do you see when you look at this picture?

The obvious…

• Books? Yes.
• A word? Yes.

But, as the saying goes, “there’s more to this than meets the eye.”

The not so obvious…

• Those physical books are a testimony to the prayers and support of friends and family! I could not have completed the Bible study without those, and I am so very grateful!
• Those letters spell out the topic of the study and the theme of Philippians, but they also represent a deeper, richer walk with Jesus based on a biblical understanding of the word joy.
• The display itself expresses the commitment, time, and love of a friend; not to mention her excitement for sharing God’s Word with a group of women.

And then there’s the “hidden in plain sight”…

Notice what is central to this picture–what could easily be missed. Do you see it? Do you see the cross–which should always point us to Christ?

I feel sure my friend intentionally arranged the books like this before taking the picture. She slightly elongated that “O” to create a space that subtly emphasized Christ in the center. It’s there, but we could miss it. Gloss right over it as we focus on other things.

So don’t. Don’t miss it. Purposefully go back and spend a minute looking at the cross in the center of the word joy. Reflect on its meaning for you.

Now, gently shift your thoughts to Christmas.

As we go through this busy season, let’s be purposeful to not miss what should be central…or rather, Who. Let’s pull that image of JOY into our minds’ eye when the shopping and parties and demands and tiredness try to crowd Him out. Let’s intentionally create space that emphasizes Christ and makes Him the center of our joy this Christmas. Oh, “thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15, NASB)

Wishing you all a Christ-centered, joy-filled Christmas season!

©2025 Catherine L Hill. All rights reserved.