Nativity Joseph
“What is God asking you to do or believe that seems impossible? You see, God does speak to us. It may not be with an angel, but God does interrupt our lives. And God invites you to a different plan and a different purpose for your life. And the thing that God invites you to cannot be accomplished on your own. Because in your strength, it is impossible.”- Pastor Tony Walliser
“When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.”- Matthew 1:24 NLT
A number of years ago when we lived in Tallahassee, we had a mean storm blow through all day Christmas Eve-eve. The storm was filled with heavy, heavy rain, thunder and lightning, and significant ground winds.
The storm was so significant that the power went out twice during the evening hours and at least twice during the sleeping hours. It being so rough at one point that some time around 4:00 a.m., I got out of bed and checked the Weather Channel on the iPad. With no significant warnings other than the Thunderstorm, Flash Flood Watch and a Tornado Watch, I went back to bed and tried to go back to sleep.
That night, somewhere between the two power outages, I went outside to try and examine if we had sustained any damage from falling limbs, etc. and I noticed that our little front yard Nativity Scene had been blown around/knocked down by the storm. So, I made a note to properly set it back up…
So, after examining the house and yard the best I could in the dark, I slushed through the wet yard to reset the Nativity. I soon realized that Mary for the most part had been turned but sat in her place as if nothing had happened... and the Baby Jesus was set in his proper place… and that’s when I realized where Joseph was and how he had fallen.
Joseph had fallen in such a way that his body laid over top of the Baby Jesus. Protecting Him from the howling wind and the driving rain. The Baby Jesus did not have to be moved or repositioned, Joseph had seen to that.
The plastic Nativity Scene Joseph was a pretty clear reminder of the role that the “real” Joseph must have played in Jesus’ life.
We can read in Luke 1 how Mary had been highly favored by God. But if we read in Matthew 1, we can see that Joseph also was called by God. Called to take Mary as his wife... called to be the earthly father of God’s Son.
In the text, we see Joseph’s righteousness and obedience, as well as his self-discipline and self-control. All traits that he will teach Jesus in his childhood.
As Joseph’s earthly father, it was also his role to protect and even defend the baby Jesus from the world around Him as He grew into manhood (think about their escape into Egypt).
Which leads me back to my windblown Nativity.
Nativity Joseph also reminded me of the need to be able to defend my faith... defend Jesus from the storm of the public arena. Joseph reminded me of how I need to be able to protect and defend my faith in Jesus, especially in these days and times when the title “Christian” some times seems to be a bad word, and Christian values are questioned and ridiculed - not only in third world countries but in my own country... even in my own community.
Nativity Joseph protected the Baby Jesus from the Christmas storm. It’s up to you and me to take Joseph’s example and with righteousness, obedience and self-discipline, defend all that having faith in Jesus represents.
This Christmas, may we embrace the Joseph challenge… and answer our call to do the impossible.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
