Not much is known about Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, but I’ve always been drawn to songs written from his perspective. One of my favorites is Joseph’s Lullaby by Mercy Me.
I believe the glory of Heaven
Is lying in my arms tonight
Lord, I ask that He for just this moment
Simply be my child
The song is about Joseph, holding baby Jesus in his arms. He felt grossly inadequate, wondering how he could possibly raise a child that is not his own, especially this blessed child, the Son of God.
Joseph was a kind man and strong in faith. When he discovered that Mary was pregnant, he was fully within the law of the time to publicly divorce her and even stone her. But “being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, he was minded to put her away privately.” Matthew 1:19
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” Matthew 1:20-21
Joseph awoke and did as the angel instructed; a great leap of faith or the shock of seeing an angel, or a little of both.
I don’t know what it is like to care for a child that is not my own. There have been days when a carload of kids was entrusted to us on the way to a game, or band contest, or off to the local burger joint, but not to raise as our own. There are earthly angels that foster and adopt children that probably know a little of what Joseph was going through.
I wondered what Joseph was feeling as he watched Jesus grow and become less of his little boy and more of what God had called him to be. As I pondered these thoughts, I got a glimpse into what it was like.
Our daughter was in her third year in college. When she first walked on to campus, she had a plan, play basketball, coach basketball, and teach kids how to love the game. Things started to change, and she hung up her sneakers, joined the choir and started taking music lessons. She said that college helped her find her love of music again. As she was struggling with the thought of changing her major, her campus pastor asked what it was that appealed to her about coaching, and she said it was the teaching. Perhaps her training led her to coach in another capacity. Maybe music was her calling.
It is said that if you do something you love, you will never work a day in your life. So here she is, loving what she is doing, stepping out in faith, pursuing her passion.
Now we have seen her in bands and in choirs, but never on stage by herself. Until she had an end of semester recital. She stepped onto stage, and this stunning soprano voice emerged. Then she picked up her clarinet and delivered an equally beautiful piece of music.
It was there that it hit me. This child that was my own, was only my own for a little while. She is quickly becoming her own. God has always put her in the right place at the right time and I can see His hand in everything that she does.
I imagine that was what Joseph was feeling.
Watch them grow, teach them all that you can and let God handle the rest.
Relying on faith
Excited to see what’s next
Blessed in Great Measure
If these words have been a blessing, pass them along to another who needs to hear .Reach out to me at John@LiftedKeys.com and tell me your story. I would love to know where and in what way God has guided His words through my pen.
Thanks to Mercy Me
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