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“. . .an angel of the Lord appeared to him {Joseph} in a dream and said,
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because
what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ” –Matthew 1:20b
The fire
burns in the hearth, the temperature outside is dropping as are the
leaves. There is music on the airwaves
as Christmas carols fill the minds of children and adults everywhere. Walking along streets, enjoying the homes and
trees covered with lights, twinkling and sparkling against the dark sky. For some of you, snow is falling gently upon
the cool winds, and creating a blanket of white; for others snow will once
again be absent and observable through dreams, video and pictures only. Nativity scenes adorn the front lawns of
churches, some city establishments (where Christian values are still observed)
and homes throughout our cities. The
centerpiece is the manger, straw and Christ child, with Mary kneeling by his
side. Then there is the image of Joseph,
standing behind them; almost in the shadows, watching over his wife and the Son
of God.This man, rich in faith and integrity, received instructions directly from God’s angel. Demonstrating extreme humility and love for Mary and took on the full responsibility of raising the Christ child. We don’t read much of Joseph throughout the scriptures, but we know he was there with Jesus through the first 12 years. The formative years, the teaching and inspirational years. I look at my own son who is 7 and realize just how much he watches my actions, is influenced by my words, and longs for attention from his Daddy.
Did Jesus climb up on Joseph’s lap for hugs?
Did Joseph teach Jesus to work as a carpenter?
Did Jesus stand with Joseph during the reading and memorizing the scriptures?
Did Joseph teach this boy Jesus to fish, to hunt, to build a fire or to fix a broken wagon wheel?
Did Jesus learn to love and respect his mother by watching Joseph?
This man, Joseph, must have been in awe of his position in the history of the world. He must have questioned why he was chosen for this purpose to raise the King of Kings? What could he possibly teach the Son of God? He must have held that baby in his hands, knowing that one day this child would redeem the children of Israel. Could he have imagined that 2000 years later we would still be seeking the peace, forgiveness and redemption that he and his family pursued? Would he have known that God’s plan for salvation would take millennia to complete? The boy Joseph taught and nurtured and helped develop into the man, Jesus Christ, would be crucified for our sins. I can’t imagine that Joseph would have been aware of these details. He held that babe in his hands and loved that child, as any father would, with tears in his eyes, in awe of the enormous responsibility that lay upon such a beautiful child. He followed the words of the angel and stepped into the light and glory of the Father by doing so, by simply being obedient.
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