A godly father

Finding the Savior in the Temple - Holman Hunt (1860)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 2:41-52

TO CHEW ON: "Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions." Luke 2:46

I am the oldest of nine children. It's probably not  surprising that at least once my parents left one of us behind at church (it wasn't me!). Even the mere 10-minute drive back to the place where they knew their child would most certainly be, had its anxieties. So I can imagine searching for a 12-year-old child through the streets and alleys of a vast city!

Despite all the miracles and heavenly portents surrounding Jesus' birth and His divine protection to this point, I'm sure His parents were crazy with worry. They had to keep trusting God just like we do with our children.

When they found Him, Jesus seemed surprised that they had looked for three days and not thought to check the temple. Why wouldn't they know to look for Him in His Father's house? (Perhaps Joseph had the thought—And who am I then, if not your father?)

Then we read that Jesus "went down with them … to Nazareth and was subject to them."

From what we've seen of Joseph (and Mary ) to this point, they probably just carried on being godly parents, which included doing things like:

• Establishing faith and trust in God within their home, like Joshua did - Joshua 24:15.

• Speaking blessing over their children, like Isaac did - Genesis 28:1-5.

• Praying for guidance and direction in how to raise Jesus and His half-siblings, like Manoah prayed about Samson - Judges 13:8.

• Giving godly advice to their kids, like David did to Solomon - 1 Kings 2:1-4.

• Leading the home in godliness, like Cornelius did - Acts 10:2.

I find this insight into Jesus' earthly family reassuring. His parents had to trust God in the day-to-day just like ours did and just like we do. Let's keep doing the godly-home things and encouraging the next generation to maintain those traditions in their homes as well.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the example of Joseph, Jesus' earthly father. Help me to keep trusting you in this season of my parenting/motherhood. Amen.

MORE: The Feast of St. Joseph

Today the church celebrates Joseph in The Feast of St. Joseph.  The liturgy for today begins with this collect:

O God, who from the family of your servant David raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son and the spouse of his virgin mother: Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

***********

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.