Please see A Father’s Joy: Part 1
The stars were bright and clear, and seemingly more numerous than Joseph had ever noticed before. There was one in particular that the man had watched on their journey from Galilee. It had started low in the eastern sky and gave the appearance of moving toward them as they journeyed southward. Tonight, it was nearly overhead, twinkling and glowing with more radiance than all else in the night sky save the moon. Gazing up in awe, the carpenter reflected on the strange events of the past year.
Betrothal to Mary gave Joseph new energy in his work and even his devotion to God. Then, she suddenly went away for three months to be with her cousin. When she returned, he was angry and devastated to hear that she was pregnant!
Then, in the midst of his anguish and resolve to divorce her quietly, he was awakened in the night after an intense and very real dream. He had been visited by an angel and could still feel the incredible brightness of the angelic presence in his eyes. This simple man who lived an ordinary life was told that his beloved was carrying the Son of God, who would be born to save people from their sins, and he, Joseph, was to take Mary as his wife without fear. Mary had told him the same things, and the man had felt ashamed that he disbelieved her. Still, it was an enormous revelation that totally rocked his world and brought some very disquieting thoughts.
Unable to sleep, Joseph closed his wood shop for the day and walked through the hills of Galilee for hours, experiencing and expressing to God the full gamut of his emotions, questions, doubts and fears. When one is truly visited by an angel with a message from the Almighty, a man cannot take that lightly. What did this all mean? Joseph and Mary were not even wed yet, and he was being commissioned to be the earthly father for the Son of God . . . the Messiah! How was he to do that? He wasn’t a scholar, nor a rabbi. His family had always been devout, and as a young man, the carpenter had studied the scriptures on his own with a reverence and curiosity that caused him to sit with the learned ones whenever he could. But he was an imperfect and sinful man—so recently evidenced by his desire to send Mary away and harden his heart toward her explanation. Why would God put this responsibility on him?
And what about Mary? She was only fifteen, and even though she had helped raise her own siblings, would she be up to the task? It seemed incomprehensible to Joseph that Yahweh would put the shame of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy on a girl in order to bring His Son into the world. Suddenly, the man realized that the town gossip would implicate him as her violator, and he would also be the target of cruel and lewd comments. Part of his mind thought about running away—he had to, of course, wed the young woman and take her with him, away from the scorn and ridicule of those who wouldn’t understand. Where could they go?
“And a virgin shall conceive and bear a child. Have no fear for I am with you. His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save people from their sins. Take Mary as your wife and do not fear. Put your trust in Yahweh for He cares about you and will guide your paths.”
These words resounded so clearly in Joseph’s mind that he looked around to see who was speaking. As he stood warily on the hillside, he was aware that all of his muscles were tightened in emotion—fear being the root; fear of taking on this assignment for which he felt most unworthy, fear of having his good name slandered, fear of losing friends and of his business failing, fear of disappointing Mary, and most of all, fear that his own shortcomings and sin would be revealed—by the Child in his own house.
The power of this thought brought the muscular workman to his knees with sobs of grief exploding from his mouth. “Oh, God, I am in need of a Savior! Who am I to raise such a One?”
He collapsed on the ground with uncontrollable tears. For the next hour he gave voice to his fears, his anger, his pride, and handed them over to the Almighty, allowing himself to be cleansed. When it was over, he stood, feeling strangely empty of attitudes he had long held, and simultaneously filled with an inexplicable peace and joy. He breathed deeply, taking in the sweet aroma of the springtime countryside.
(Joseph startled in his reverie. That was the same scent he had experienced in the cave moments ago!)
He had raced back into town to find Mary. She was sitting in their favorite place by the brook, and she looked as if she had been crying. Was she struggling with some of the same questions, or was it because of the darkness of Joseph’s countenance when they last spoke? Seeing the hesitation and resolve in her eyes when he called her name, the man realized that he had deeply hurt her, and she had been preparing to entrust herself to God, without him if necessary.
“Mary, I came to ask your forgiveness.” His voice sounded rich and strong, yet there was a humility that the girl had never heard. His face was serene and joyous, and he carried himself with air of quiet wisdom and confidence. Such a change from their last meeting! Mary touched his arm to be sure that he was really the same man, and he grabbed her around the waist and swung her around. Laughing, they fell to the ground, and Joseph shared his experiences of the previous night and morning.
Taking her hands, he finished simply, “I don’t know what this all means, but I am certain that we are to be married, and we are to raise this Child of God together. I am equally certain that I am not adequate to the task, but the Almighty is the One Who guides us and gives us strength. I want to protect and care for you as I promised at our betrothal, and I want to have the ceremony as soon as we can arrange it. Will you have me?”
The tears of joy in her eyes and that smile like brilliant jewels convinced the man’s heart that no matter what the cost, he would serve and trust the Lord faithfully, and honor this precious gift of a woman with all his being. Somehow he knew that God was very pleased and would supply all that he lacked in raising the Savior.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.
But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:19-21
(c) 2020 Holly Craw
Designed to Draw Near 
3 thoughts on “A Father’s Joy: Part 2”