Joseph's Lullaby

Can you imagine how Joseph felt when he found out Mary was expecting a baby?

Matthew 1:18-19 (The Message)
The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.

At the time of Jesus' birth Joseph would have been frowned upon for marrying a woman who was pregnant outwith marriage. But Joseph believed in God. He believed that God had a plan for Mary and him to raise this child, the Christ child.

Mary and Joseph loved Jesus just as a mother and father should love their child. The song I've used above by Mercy Me portrays some of the thoughts and feelings Joseph must have had when Jesus was born. A beautiful song and a lovely presentation.


Be blessed by the love of God, our heavenly Father this Christmas.

Social Stigma

These days there's not the same stigma associate with children being born outside of marraige than there was in Jesus' day. So imagine how Mary felt when she was told she would conveive a baby by the Holy Spirit - fear, apprehension and well as the joy of kowing she would give birth to the Son of God. She need not have feared because Joseph, by God's instruction, married Mary.

Years later when Jesus was in his thirties, he still was the recipient of hateful and stigmatic comments about his origin. At one point Jesus was talking to some people about being God's true children, when they said to him, "We were not born out of wedlock! Our true Father is God himself" (John 8:41).

Through this we realise that Jesus can identify with, and understand social stigmas as he has been the subject of such himself. If you are suffering from social stigma, whether as a single parent or for some other reason, come to Jesus today. Do not hesitate in asking Him to help you, as He alone has promised to love everyone. He has had the experience of being stagmatized, and will be there for you.