Joseph sets an example of how live our lives.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“When Joseph woke from sleep,
he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him:
he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son.
And he called his name Jesus.”
Matthew 1:24-25 English Standard Version

We don’t know a lot about Joseph.

He appears in only in three chapters of the Bible and is mentioned in two others. He is told in a dream that his betrothed is pregnant by means of the Holy Spirit. In another dream he is instructed to take his newborn child and wife to Egypt. And not long after his arrival in Egypt, he is visited a third time in a dream and told to return home. Finally he moves his family to Nazareth where he lives as a carpenter.

Joseph is often placed close to the manger but not as close as Mary. We expect him to disappear. That’s part of his story, yet he plays an important role. He protects, cares for and provides for the Christ child.

He does all of this because that is what he’s suppose to do.

Most of us reading this blog understand Joseph’s position. We do our job. That’s what we’re suppose to do. We go to work, care for our children and extend care to those around us.

And like Joseph, we don’t have long to do what we do.

We call this our Christian vocation. Instead of worrying about what God is calling us to do we ought to imitate Joseph, living our lives as a thank offering to God for the opportunity he has given us to make an impact in the here and now.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner