PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

June 18, 2023

JOSEPH

                We know very little about Joseph, the husband of Mary.  He was from Nazareth and traced his ancestry back to King David.  Matthew describes Joseph as being “a righteous man, and unwilling to expose (Mary) to public disgrace (Matthew 1:19a).”  We know he was still alive when Jesus turned 12 (Luke 2:41-51) but very likely had died when Jesus began His earthly ministry.

We know that Joseph acted decisively at three important points.  When Joseph learns in a dream the circumstances of Mary’s pregnancy, he takes Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:18-25).

Shortly after the birth of Jesus, Joseph is instructed in a dream to take Mary and Jesus immediately to Egypt and remain there until he is told to come back.  “Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod (Matthew 2:14-15).”  When Herod died an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him it was alright to return to Israel, he responded and took the Holy Family not back to Bethlehem but to Nazareth (Matthew 2:19-23).”
From the little we know about Joseph it would seem that he provided Jesus and his family with a stable home life and was supportive of his wife and children.  Tradition indicates that he was a carpenter which meant that he had some degree of learning.  We do know that Jesus was able to read and write.   Being a carpenter, one would also have to have basic understanding of mathematics. A glimpse into Jesus’ formative years might be found in Luke 11:11-13.  “Is there anyone among you who if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish?  Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion?  If you then, who are evil, now how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

                Today, there are fathers around the world who like Joseph are faced with consequential decisions.  Some are faced with the choice of uprooting their families and become refugees like the Holy Family.  Civil war, famine, discord, and political leadership make it impossible for these families to remain where they are.           Their only option is to leave.  There are fathers who in spite of discord within the family make the decision to stick it out for the long hall.

There are also fathers today who are like Joseph when he returned from Egypt to settle in Nazareth and provide a stable home environment.  Day in and day out they attend to the needs of their families, providing a nurturing situation where their children can grow and prosper.  They seek the best for their families and lead righteous lives.  They are providing a foundation upon which their children can build their lives.  They are willing to sacrifice their own needs and desires for the sake of their wives and children.

On this Father’s Day I would offer a prayer for fathers around the world who struggle with difficult decisions about the future of their families.  I would remember those fathers, who day in and day out provide a solid foundation for their children.  I would remember all those fathers who like Joseph provide a nurturing, loving, and encouraging setting for their children to grow and develop.