Part 1 of the Wonderings

Yesterday i finished a book called "Three from Galilee." I have never read a book like this in my life. It's a fictional account of Jesus' childhood to the time of the beginning of His public ministry. I must say before I go on that I don't agree with a lot that's in the book, but it definitely got me thinking. So often we think of Jesus' miraculous birth, his time at the temple at age 12, then His three years of ministry as His whole life. But what about the 30 years in between? What about the trials Jesus had to face as a young boy and teenager that we've never read about? I don't know why God chose not to put the bulk of His son's history in the Bible, but He did live through those years. Because I have so many thoughts, I'll start with what went through my mind concerning Joseph and Mary.
I wonder how they coped.
Imagine (if you're a lady) that you've waited all your life for a Savior who would come and protect you and become the King of Israel. A strong, brave man that would conquer all! Then one day, as you're working, an angel visits you and tells you that you are going to give birth to God's son, the Messiah. At that moment, life begins in you. To start, there must have been confusion. When have you ever heard of a virgin giving birth? How did Mary explain? How could she have gone up to her parents and said, "I have known no man, but I am carrying a child"? Her parents must have known Mary's character, but to believe this? And Joseph! Now imagine (if you're a dude) that there's this girl that you love with all your heart, and she loves you too! She's promised to be your wife, and give all her devotion to you. On that day you find out she's pregnant. Joseph's heart must have broken. Yet being the man he was, a man of character, he was planning on breaking the engagement quietly. But then one night an angel appears and tells him not to be afraid, and that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. In the Bible it said that Mary went to Judah to see her cousin Elizabeth, who had also conceived in her old age. Three months she stayed with her, then returned to Galilee. By this time, the baby's been growing and I'm sure that people were beginning to speculate. Mary and Joseph had to deal with gossip and scorn, though they did nothing wrong. But following God's orders, they get married and head off to Bethlehem for the census. While there, Jesus is born. After a few weeks, they bring Him into the Temple to present Him to the Lord. Simeon comes up to them and proclaims over Jesus. It says, "And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things where were spoken of Him." These were ordinary people! They hadn't fully come to the recognition that this little, fragile baby was to become the Savior of the world. Even when Jesus was 12, they hadn't fully understood, for when He said, "I must be about my Father's business," the Bible says, "And they understood not the saying which He spake unto them."
As the step-father of Jesus, Joseph had an enormous responsibility. My dad even preached on it a few Sundays ago, but it's really hit me now. Imagine the pressure that must have been on him to keep Jesus safe. Of course we know that God was surely watching every step of His son, but still, it was still Joseph's responsibility.

I'm sure there were times when Mary and Joseph doubted. I'm sure they could see that He was different in a special way, but for years and years He was a perfect, though normal child. Until He was about 30, He never did any miracles. Have you ever received a promise from God? Are you still waiting for Him to fulfill it? Don't you sometimes question it, and doubt it, especially when you're not seeing anything progressing? Mary and Joseph were not superhero's. They struggled, they questioned.

In Jewish times, by the time a man was 20, he was usually married, if not betrothed. In a later blog, I'll talk more about my opinion on Jesus' "love life" compared to what the book says, but it was customary for the Father to help find his son a bride. Jesus never got married. In fact, it was almost shameful to a family when a son at 27 years old wasn't married! In the book however, Mary realized that Jesus was destined for a "greater love." But in real life?

However, there is one thing I am sure of. Though i have many questions and wonders, I know that as the caretakers of God's Son, Joseph and Mary had a special grace on them. I don't know all the challenges they must have faced, but I know that there were definitely abundant blessings. God was watching over them at every stage. Through every doubt and worry, He was there for them. That in itself is a blessing that every Child of God can experience...

There's really no way I can end this post unless I tell you I'll continue soon with Part 2. So I'll be back :)