Continued Christmas thoughts, Thankful for my Joseph

 

“But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”

(Matthew 1:20-21, 24-25 ESV)

So the other morning when I was reading the story of the birth of Jesus, aka the Christmas story, and the warning in the dream to the wise men stood out to me, I decided I would go back and see just how many times this happened in this story. It happened quite often to Joseph. This passage caught my attention and caused me to not only thank God for Joseph but for my husband, who is much like Joseph. Maybe you have a Joseph that you need to give much more thanks for as well.

So here is Joseph, every bit chosen by God as Mary but doesn't get much attention. I think maybe Joseph might have been the kind of guy that preferred it that way. In the preceding verses in this passage in Matthew, Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, but doesn't know the whole story. He is “considering” what to do about this painful discovery when the angel appears to him in a dream. He had decided to “put her away quietly” because he didn't want to publicly shame her. Instead, because God had revealed the truth to him, and Joseph was an honorable and compassionate man, when God told him the right thing to do—he did it. He became the earthly shield and protector for Mary. Her “shame” in the eyes of the world, became his shame as well. He definitely did a Philippians 2: 5-8 thing. He had the attitude of Christ, giving up his own rights and doing the will of God.

This is one of the things that God has shown me in past readings of this story, how amazing it was that this newly wed groom, gave up his husbandly rights and “knew her not” for nine months, probably more. Who knows how long recovery took back then. You know that was so difficult for Joseph but so important to the story. Matthew 1:22-23 says“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).” I know that if Joseph had known her before she gave birth she would still have been a virgin when she originally conceived, but there would have been more doubt about it. But we have the testimony of this faithful Joseph. Faithful to his God and faithful to his wife and this Son who he would both worship as God and father.

I am so thankful that God gave me a man like this, for my husband and the father of my children. You see my Joseph is a quiet, godly, compassionate, honorable man who seeks to do what is right. He considers, analyzes and asks for wisdom to make decisions for our family that would honor God and when God shows him that which is the right thing to do—he does it. He gives up his own desires so that others might have what is needed. He serves quietly, in the background, not getting the attention but supporting those who might be in the spotlight. He has served as a sound-man for over twenty years in some capacity and those guys don't get noticed unless something goes wrong. He is the man you go to when something is wrong. He is the fixer of that which is broken and the one who prepares and thinks to do what will prevent things from being broken. He keeps us able to function and more surefooted.

Thank you, Graceman for all that you do, for serving and for moving when God says to move, for loving us and sacrificing for us. I do, til death!

Father God, thank You for picturing Your love so clearly in Joseph and in my Graceman. Thank You for Your grace to do what You ask of us, giving us the ability to do more than we think. Thank You for Immanuel, God with us. O that we would worship You in obedience like Joseph. May You be glorified and honored as we celebrate and as we live out the days You give us. Help us to live faithfully serving, with the attitude of Christ that Your kingdom would come and Your will would be done in our lives as it is done in heaven. In Jesus name, Amen