By Bo Prosser

The Christmas season is my favorite time of year, the anticipation, the family gatherings, the greetings of good will even to perfect strangers.  Advent is filled with many emotions, joy, peace, sadness, expectation.

The story of the Christ Child never gets old to me.  Sadly, many of us have been hearing this story for so long laced with commercialism that we no longer are moved by the miracles, the blessings, the affirmations.

Joseph is one of my favorite people in the Christmas story.  He is one of those miracles of Christmas.  He was a humble man, obedient and courageous.  He was awaiting his bride only to hear an almost unbelievable story from her.  He was saddened at their plight.  He was righteous, wanting to dismiss her quietly. He was amazed by the message from a heavenly visitor.  Joy, sadness, anger, amazement, peace…Joseph experienced all these emotions and more.  Yet, he responded obediently to God!

All too soon in these gospels, Joseph disappears from the Christmas story.  There are many details about his life and interaction with Jesus that we don’t know.  But, we do know that Joseph named this son, Jesus.  Through naming the baby, Joseph took responsibility for “his son,” he was obedient to God, and he gave Jesus an earthly identity. Joseph modeled for us faithfulness in the midst of unbelievable circumstances.  Joseph is one of the miracles, the blessings of Christmas.  Even as Joseph was faithful, let it be so among us as well.

This Advent, journey with Joseph and Mary.  Feel the weight of their dilemmas.  Grasp their youthful fear.  Explore their faithfulness.  See the miracle of God’s gift!  How silently, how silently, God’s wondrous gift is given!

Bo Prosser is Ministries Coordinator for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Read his recent column titled “Praying the name of Jesus”  in the December/January issue of fellowship! magazine.