The Father Who Stayed

This week in Kingdom Bloggers we are exploring the

  fruit of the Holy Spirit called faithfulness.

While he was still trying to figure a way out, he had a dream

Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what the angel had commanded in the dream

Matthew 1:20 and 1:24…The Message

It’s an observation that I have made over the years. As I look at children Lord, I have noticed something curious.

When a woman gets pregnant, a LOT of attention is heaped onto the mother and babe.

So this led me to wonder, where is the father? Where are our fathers?

Sometimes, he is “there” but his attention is obscured by worldly ties. Sometimes he has left and deserted those he claimed to love. Sometimes he has died and left a hole of pain. Sometimes he has marred the innocence of the babes, you sent for him to cherish. 

And gratefully, like Joseph, sometimes he is right there.
Day by day…moment by moment, doing exactly what you command a father to do.

When we consider the Nativity Story, our eyes behold the baby Jesus. We observe the motherly relationship and bonding that this child has with Mary. We are warmed by that mother/child tenderness. It brings a sense of comfort to observe this God given relationship.

Still…we should say “Where IS the father? Well, “this father”…Joseph by name did the RIGHT THING when…

He heard

He obeyed

He stayed

He honored You

Lord, this world needs Josephs. 

Please send us the Joseph, who even though they could leave…
will choose to stay

will choose to obey  

will choose to honor their fatherly role

This ordinary man Joseph, that we oft’ overlook, provides for all of us, a way…

while it would’ve been lawful to leave…he choose the way of love…

and decided to stay.