The earthly father of Jesus was a quiet Jewish carpenter.
Well, that’s the assumption anyway, because Joseph never utters a word in Scripture. Yet, he was a member of the Holy Family.
This image came from a Christmas card I received a few years ago. I loved the artwork so much that I laminated it. (And badly too. I’m sorry, it’s off-center. As my DIY friends know, I missed the art gene by a mile.)
This interpretation of Mary and Joseph really touched me. They are so full of joy while adoring their Savior Son together. But what really jumped out at me was the focus on the relationship between Jesus and his foster father.
At Christmastime, attention is given to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and that’s a good thing. But sometimes Joseph gets a little lost in the shuffle. He is often seen in the background of paintings, watching over his wife and son. But not in this image.
The delighted smile on the infants face glows and illuminates the whole room. And doesn’t it look like both Mary and Joseph are covered in the holy light? The faces of Jesus’ parents are turning a warm reddish glow, bathed in the glory of their son.
Jesus’ gaze is solely on his foster father. It almost looks like they’re sharing an inside joke, as an amused Mary looks on.
To me, this little snapshot represents the instant Joseph fell in love with his infant son. Yes, he loved this child before he was born, as all parents-to-be do. But what can prepare anyone for the first time you hold your child? The love that floods and spills over is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Here, not only is there the presence of God in parental love, but also in flesh and blood; the Christ Child. What a moving moment this must have been.
As a former foster parent, I can really relate to the wonder that Joseph must be feeling. This child, conceived by a miracle and born into poverty, is presented to him as his child. What a wondrous, baffling and miraculous event.
But for Joseph, all questions are buried under the avalanche created by the love between a father and a child. Any hesitation evaporates in the presence of Love Incarnate. All that matters now, is the small life entrusted to him, and the well-being of his wife.
Joseph stands here in the place of God the Father. It makes sense that he would be imbued with some of the attributes of the greatest Father of all.
And our heavenly Father is wisdom. As St. James says; “the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it also makes for peace and is kindly and considerate.” (James 3:17)
In this scene, I see those qualities in Joseph. God insured that his Son was in the best hands on earth. The strong hands of his servant, Joseph.
Prayer Request:
Roxy, who blogs at
Living From Glory to Glory
, has asked for prayers for a one month old little girl named Kalea. She has a Vitamin K deficiency which has had very dire medical consequences.
You can use the link provided to her blog to read more about it.
Your prayers are so precious, and so needed. Please take a moment to ask the Lord for healing for Kalea.
Thank you.
Linking today with:
Three Word Wednesday
Ceil, usually I wake to read your beautiful posts.
Tonight I am up late, and am reading it before I fall asleep. : )
I love this…and the picture is beautiful…
Thanks for sharing!
Night, friend.
Hi Billie Jo! Thank you so much for your lovely comments, Billie Jo. I’m so happy that you liked the image too, I just loved it when I saw it. I thought it was so neat that Joseph got the spotlight!
Hope you slept well, and are ready for a good Wednesday
Blessings,
Ceil
It is a beautiful card and the facial expressions say it all. I’ve often wondered about Joseph and how he felt becoming a father to a young girl with child. A supernaturally conceived one at that. I wonder if he had any doubts in his mind. Most of all I think what a wonderful man he must have been to accept the situation and to marry the young Mary and provide an earthly father for the baby. Some day we will get to meet Joseph and then he can tell us himself what happened back then
Have a wonderful Christmas.
Hi Joyful! I wonder about all those things too. And how obedient he was! A dream tells him to go to Egypt, so he gets right up and goes…I don’t think I would have done that. Like you said, being a father and a husband all together just ‘wasn’t done’ back then. What an extraordinary example of grace in action.
I’ll be right behind you in heaven, listening to Joseph talk about the experience. Won’t that be wonderful?
Happy Wednesday
Ceil
Ceil, what an absolutely beautiful post. You’re right, Joseph does get lost in the shuffle a bit. But, I think you’re so right – he loved Jesus, and had a powerful influence on him. I’m thinking about these verses: “And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:51-52, NASB)
Don’t you think that Joseph had something to do with Jesus increasing His wisdom and favor? I do.
I have a feeling that you were a wonderful foster parent, Ceil. And I have a feeling that you influenced many young lives – just like Joseph.
GOD BLESS!
Hi Sharon! Oh yes, I do think that Joseph had a large role in raising Jesus. What an example of trust and obedience he was! The Father certainly knew exactly who should be his Son’s earthly father.
Thank you for your very kind comment about foster parenting, Sharon. I’m not a perfect person, but I think it helped that I really loved children. That is a huge grace, and I am thankful for it. And of course, I am so thankful that my husband was open to doing it too. Couldn’t do it without him
Thank you for your visit today. Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Ceil
Beautiful post and beautiful picture indeed! I believe that God shows through Joseph that adoption is of the same value as being a biological child… because Jesus lineage ends with Joseph!
Hi Marja! That’s a good point about adoption, Marja. I didn’t think about that. Thank you!
I’m glad you liked the picture, I thought it was so sweet. And it’s nice to see Joseph in a more prominent light!
Have a blessed day
Ceil
I often wonder about Joseph..I can only imagine his thoughts. Lovely card that is. Thanks Ceil for sharing. How you come up with these posts are beyond me, :)lol. I love them..thank you. Blessings
Hi Linda! It’s easy to wonder about Joseph, there’s so little about him in the Bible. But Our Father would have chosen the best man on earth for his son, don’t you think?
This post came to me after I read a post on Joseph by Victor at timeforreflections.blogspot.com I remembered this card and how much I loved the gaze of Jesus and Joseph. Thank you for your lovely comment about the blog Linda. I really appreciate your encouragement. That’s what keeps me going
Happy Wednesday my friend
Ceil
Thanks for bringing your own foster parent perspective to this post today, Ceil … I walk away with a bit more insight. And even more gratitude that God would choose to send His Son into an everyday, yet somehow very special, family …
Hi Dear! Thank you for your comment, I hoped it was ok to insert myself in the description. I just love this artwork. It’s up on my bookshelf for the holidays.
God did chose to send his son to Mary and Joseph, and now to us too. I pray that you will be filled with the love and peace of Christ this Christmas.
Blessings to you Linda,
Ceil
Hi Ceil,
yes I am sure you are right here, that God ensured that His Son was in the best hands on earth. I can imaging Joseph being a lovely person, just right for the job.
God bless you Ceil for bringing refreshing posts each day.
Hi Brenda! Oh my, thank you for your encouragement! I really appreciate your kind comments.
Not a lot of information on Jesus’ earthly father, but he must have been one extraordinary man. I guess that’s why I love this art so much. It is one of those rare times I can see the love between father and son in the Holy Family.
Blessings to you in Wales, my friend
Ceil
Ceil…you are so right about Joseph. How could God possibly entrust the raising of His Son to anyone He did not choose OR trust? Just like in my post about God trusting Mary….He had to trust Joseph as well! He hand-picked Jesus’s earthly parents and there is no doubt in my mind that they were annointed to take on this responsibilty! Thank you for this great reminder
Hi Debby! I do love thinking about Joseph, and how strong and faithful he must have been. That’s why I really connect with this image. It shows the love between Jesus and his father. So beautiful.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year. Thank you for your blog-friendship this year
Ceil
Beautiful words Ceil! I have often tried to think how Joseph must have felt and what he thought! This is a great way to think of Joseph!
Hi Monica! Another Joseph thinker! It is wonderful to meditate on what kind of father he was. A wonderful foster father for the Savior of the world.
Merry Christmas to you and yours my friend
Ceil
Hello there!
What a beautiful picture!! Yes I think God hand picked Joseph for baby Jesus. It’s so sweet. I like what you said at the very end that God chose a strong hands of a servant to care for the baby. I will be praying that today for our sweet friends daughter that desperately needs prayer. Please check out either mine or Roxy’s post. And please Pray for her!
I hope you have a wonderful week Ceil!
Hugs,
Amy
Hi Amy! Thank you for directing me to Roxy’s post. I have the prayer info at the end of this post now. What a sad situation? I hope the prayers will give comfort to the family and healing for the baby.
We can all help each other so much through our blog connections. It makes the world a little smaller.
Hugs,
Ceil
I love this picture, too. Thanks for sharing!
So often, art depicts Jesus and the Holy Family as looking wimpy or unreal. I like the faces in this picture. Real. Happy. Smiling.
You, as a foster parent, probably can imagine better than anyone what Joseph’s feelings might have been. I just can’t help but believe that God would have picked someone really special to help raise the Son of God.
Hi Jerralea! I’m so glad you like this card too. It just struck a chord in me. The faces are ‘real’ as you said. So happy! And that smile on the Infant Jesus’ face is just makes me want to smile too.
I agree that God would want to pick just the right person to be the father of Jesus. Joseph must have been a very special man.
Merry Christmas to you, my friend
Ceil
Thank you for sharing this lovely post…..i was a foster parent also….many years ago. I can relate to the photo. i wonder if the artist was.
Hi Dee! How fun that you were a foster parent too! It was years ago for me too…in the 90’s. We loved it!
Interesting question. I wonder if the artist was a foster parent? Great food for thought!
Ceil
Lovely post, Ceil. I’ve heard several times the last couple of days something that I had never thought about before. The fact that Jesus picked his own parents-mom and dad. Joseph is a great example of love, too, isn’t he?
Hi Susan! There aren’t too many people who get to pick out their parents, are there? That’s quite a concept. And the Father chose Mary and Joseph. That says a lot about their character, doesn’t it?
Thank you for your visit today! Have a lovely evening my friend
Ceil
that is a lovely post Ceil
yes Christmas time and all the Decorating is so fun…
hugs..patty
Hi Patty! Thank you so much for your kind comment. Decorating is fun! I love lights, so I have battery powered little lights up in two rooms. Love it!
Have a great evening
Ceil
Ceil: This is a beautiful entry. I had never thought of Joseph as a Foster Father. The picture is precious. I’m glad you saved it. I especially like the way Jesus reaches out to Joseph. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Hi Cecelia! Thank you for your kind comment. I am so glad I saved this too. I just love the joy in it. I didn’t catch the reach to Joseph by Jesus, thank you! Love that
Merry Christmas to you too Cecelia. And prayers for a blessed 2014!
Ceil
Ceil, I love that artwork and I think it’s great that you laminated it. Indeed, the mood there is just magical. I am always in awe of artists who can capture a mood in that way. Nothing compares to the joy of a new baby, and my goodness to hold a wee one filled with such a future ahead of him. I can only imagine!
Sorry I have been MIA. Family things here. Would you keep my sweet little cousin Koren in your prayers? He is preschool age and was just diagnosed with cancer today. Don’t know the type/prognosis yet, but praying for his parents’ wisdom and God’s great healing hand.
Hi Anne! So good to hear from you! Oh boy, I am so sorry about your cousin! What a devastating thing to deal with…I am praying that the diagnosis will include effective treatment and that little Koren will be healed.
My prayers will be for you and your family too. Thank you for letting me know, it’s a honor to pray for this situation.
I hope you are able to have a wonderful Christmas with your little ones! (Still thinking of that fabulous family pic.)
Blessings to you my friend,
Ceil
Ceil, thank you so much for the prayers. We found out today that it is pediatric testicular cancer. Tomorrow, we find out about staging.
Congratulations on the new Grandbaby! Best Christmas gift ever!!
I didn’t think so much about Joseph before. But when I think about it now, he had a big part of Jesus life as a father from birth. Thank for reminding us about Joseph.
Praying for Kalea.
Have a Merry Christmas:)
Hi Joy! I don’t think there are many who do think about Joseph, you are in good company. But as you said, I do think he had a big role in Jesus’ young life. He was hand picked by God, so he is certainly someone special.
Thank you so much for your prayers. I know Kalea’s family would be comforted to know that you are praying.
Merry Christmas to you my friend
Ceil
I’m so glad you joined us for Three Word Wednesday today, Ceil! I love the card and your words are so true. You have me really thinking about Joseph this morning.
Merry Christmas to you!
Much love,
Beth
Hi Beth! It was a pleasure to be a part of your bloghop! Isn’t this card’s image beautiful? I just loved it.
Merry Christmas to you and yours Beth, and I hope your foot heals ASAP!
Ceil
Of course your tender hearted former foster mom would be drawn to Joseph and his role in the life of our Savior! I love the story of Mary and Joseph and what we can learn from their lives. Praying for healing for Kalea…
Hi Mindy! Thank you so much for your prayers, they are so powerful.
I do love Joseph, I think for his quiet strength. I really liked this image because it shows him so involved with his son. What a beautiful family.
Merry Christmas Mindy! And I’ll be praying for a wonderful 2014 for you too
Ceil
This is such a beautiful card. Thank you for sharing it. Also, thank you for sharing your perspective of Joseph. It’s true, he is a bit “lost” in the shuffle but obviously he was critical to the raising of Jesus Christ… our Lord and saviour.
Will pray for Kalea.
Wishing you a blessed day my friend!
xoxo
Hi Jennifer! Thank you so much for your powerful prayers. I know the family would really appreciate it.
Joseph was critical to Jesus, wasn’t he? And I’m sure he passed his trade on to him too. But this art is so touching to me because of the delight of Jesus and Joseph. You don’t see that much.
Merry Christmas my friend and a happy, happy New Year!
Ceil
Hello Ceil!
I thought it was time I sat at the computer and did some visiting! Merry Christmas to you!
What a tremendious God honoring post as we celebrate the birth of our King and Savior! Just beautiful. I too saw the illuminating of the room and on the faces of Joseph and Mary that was coming from the face of the Christ child. wonderfully glorious in deed!
The Lord bless you!
Hi Debbie! How lovely to see you again! Merry Christmas to you too!
I’m so glad you liked the image on the card, it really brought me a lot of joy. So fun to see the relationship between father and child.
Have a happy new year, and I hope to see you again in 2014!
Ceil
Ceil,
I miss you so much. Been thinking of you and Stephanie my two darling favorite ladies.
Well I tried to leave a comment yesterday but it couldnt access when I posted so I sent you an email.
I hope talking to you soon.
Praying for you,
Delvalina
Hi Delvalina! It’s so good to see you today! Thank you for your email, I will check on it after I write this.
My blogsite is having its troubles. Sometimes the email doesn’t work, and the GFC doesn’t work at all. I hope it will be fixed soon.
Have a wonderful Christmas, ok? I will be taking a month off because my daughter just had a new baby today
I will be helping her and her family for a while. Please pray for them, if you would.
Blessings to you, and a happy New Year too!
Ceil
This was wonderful and has brought me to think more of Joseph in a light I hadn’t before. Thank you for that. Praying for Kaylea tonight.
Hi Melody! Thank you for your prayers, I really appreciate them, and I know Kalea’s family does too.
I’m so glad you liked the card image, wasn’t it fun to see Joseph and Jesus?
I am going to take a blog break for about a month. My daughter just had her second baby today! When I get back, I’ll come over to visit you. I’d love to get to know you better
Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year to you!
Ceil
Dear Ceil, I can only say thank you or putting out the prayer request for baby Kalea. I am waiting for some good news to have an update. I felt so sad to think I missed telling you Merry Christmas… But I know you are going to have a wonderful one with your family. Your post on Joseph was such an awesome perspective. I always felt bad we didn’t know more about him!
Can’t wait to hear about your trip and Christmas!! Love Always, Roxy