As the Christmas season has come fast upon us, a thought came to me about Joseph. So, I went to investigate his story.
“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. His mother, Mary, had promised Joseph to be his wife, but while she was still a virgin she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Her fiancé, Joseph, was a righteous man full of integrity and he didn’t want to disgrace her, but when he learned of her pregnancy he secretly planned to break the engagement. While he was still debating with himself about what to do, he fell asleep and had a supernatural dream. An angel from the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Joseph, descendant of David, don’t hesitate to take Mary into your home as your wife, because the power of the Holy Spirit has conceived a child in her womb. She will give birth to a son and you are to name him “Savior,” for he is destined to give his life to save his people from their sins.’ This happened to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through his prophet: Listen! A virgin will be pregnant, she will give birth to a Son, and he will be known as ‘Emmanuel,’ which means in Hebrew, ‘God became one of us.’ When Joseph woke from his dream, he did all that the angel of the Lord instructed him to do. He took Mary to be his wife, but they refrained from having sex until she gave birth to her firstborn son, whom they named ‘Jesus.’”
Matthew 1:18-25 TPT
What manner of man is this? It says, “He was a righteous man full of integrity.”
Joseph didn’t want to disgrace Mary, yet I wonder how well he really knew her. You see, in that time they had more of an arranged marriage kind of thing. She was also as young as thirteen. My, how times have changed! It’s more like thirty than thirteen for a woman to get marriage in this day and time. Mary became pregnant in their engagement period, which is part one of the marriage ceremony. So, Joseph was going to nullified and basically divorce her before it was all said and done. Yet, he fell asleep and had a supernatural dream. How about that for a plot twist!! In the midst of his internal wrestling, the Lord not only revealed Himself to him to confirm Mary’s startling news, but He revealed to him His Son’s name: Emmanuel—God with us, God among us.
This reminded me of another passage in John 1:14: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-14 KJV
(For a more colorful or expressive interpretation of this passage, check it out in The Passion Translation. The word pictures give me so much more life.)
“There was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.”
John’s life was significant. He was not that Light, but came to bear witness.
These two different men had an impact that was so critical in the preparation of Jesus. Every life matters. Joseph believed. And, this wasn’t the last dream he ever received to keep him safe from harm’s way. Even his cousin, John, was sent to prepare the ground of hard hearts for Jesus to come water with His loving kindness, mercy and grace. Men matter and men carry different parts of a kingdom anointing.
When Ben passed, my peace passed with it. I never knew he was the carrier of peace. Thankfully, I do have more of a discerning spirit and could tell something was missing and it wasn’t just a person, it was a certain presence too. Many times in the Bible, it says “peace be with you”. So, I had to call on the Prince of Peace until it grounded me. That was a shocking reality. My peace wasn’t mine, I was just in proximity of it.
So, I am thankful for men and their ability to carry a lot and make it look like a little. I am thankful for fathers that teach their children about faith, family and their futures walking with Christ by their side. It’s a full-time job and an honorable one. Joseph was a good man. He was given a very unique role and he understood the assignment (😉 that seems to be a catch phase right now). John the Baptist also understood the assignment and finished well even though his head was cut off. And Jesus ultimately understood His assignment. For most, it seemed like it ended in death, but not even the grave could hold Him down. He showed up and met two men.
This takes me to my last passage.
“Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.”
Luke 24:13-16 NKJV
Later on, this happened.
“Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, ‘Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.’ And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’ So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’ And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.”
Luke 24:28-35 NKJV
I love this passage so much. Jesus sat with them around the table. In the breaking of bread (and the breaking of his vulnerable heart), their eyes were opened. They finally saw the true Christ. They felt a burning in their hearts. I know the feeling. 🔥
Last verse, “And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.”
Sometimes, it’s as simple as the breaking of bread that brings His presence overhead. In the womb, in a dream, along the road, and finally around the table. Jesus meets and eats with everyone. His presence is worth soaking in this Christ-we-miss season.
Until next time,
Stay Tender
Connect to the Mender
Be a Sender
P.S. My new single Bells is out now!!! Listen and download on your favorite digital platform: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/micahd1/bells-2