His Coming. Christmas Devotional. December 5.
His voice was never recorded in the scripture. Only his actions. And those spoke loud. Loud love. Loud devotion. Loud obedience.
Joseph was a simple, humble carpenter with a huge heart–a heart broken until God’s messenger appeared. The way Joseph loved Mary was pure and his devotion to her was large. Joseph could have shouted to the world that his wife to be had betrayed him and she could have been stoned in the streets.
His plan was to put her away secretly protecting her reputation, her safety–his love.
But God…God had other plans–special plans for Joseph and Mary.
Matthew 1:20-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 Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Joseph obeyed every word God spoke to him. He watched over Mary, protected her, traveled many miles to make sure she was safe along with her unborn child, God’s child. He was there during childbirth. He was there to help when Mary wrapped this beautiful gift in swaddling clothes. He was there when Mary held this baby. Imagine his smile, his laughter, his thankfulness, and his touch–this earthly father placing a gentle kiss on Jesus’ tiny forehead. God had chosen him to be the earthly father for Jesus.
And Joseph’s story is one of the greatest love stories of all times.
I reached into the drawer and pulled out the hammer. My hammer. The hammer with the red tape. The red tape which made me cry and smile on this day, the day before Father’s Day.
A few years ago I went out to my garage building to get my hammer, one of three. And well, what I found was none. Three hammers gone. You see, there have been times in my life when my son would borrow tools and even my Daddy and sometimes they wouldn’t find their way back into my toolbox. My Daddy just happened to be at my house on that day and I said either you or Daniel have carried off all of my hammers or left them laying at your latest projects. It had happened before so it was kind of a family joke–always on me.
Anyway, I ask Daddy if he had any extra hammers and he never said whether he had my hammer. He just left my house and within a few minutes he returned and in his hand was a brand new hammer with a piece of red tape wrapped around the handle.
He laughed and said, now, you will always know this is your hammer. Simple as it may seem, that hammer with the red tape represents to me the heart of my Daddy. He came back with a brand new hammer, not an old one. And he marked it special, just for me–his daughter.
Joseph had nothing to give to God’s son as far as the world views gifts fit for a king. And although Joseph’s love was never bold in voice, he gave so much more. He gave Jesus his best. He gave God’s son–his son this beautiful gift expressed in faith, trust, devotion, sacrifice, unconditional love, obedience, and adoption.
Matthew 1:16, And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
How can we be a gift this Christmas
Give our best
Smile and say thank you to the grocery store or retail clerk
Tell the person in line behind you to go in front of you
Pay for someone’s order in the drive-thru line
Be patient. Stop the rush.
And never ever fail to say Thank You and Merry Christmas
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