Joseph, thank you.

I finally finished reading through the Old Testament.  PRAISE GOD.  I know that is harsh but I do not enjoy the OT.  At this point in my life I am not into prophecies or law.  Maybe I will go through a phase where I am.  I enjoy stories and lessons.  SO I was counting down the chapters until the NT.  I knew I really needed to read all of the OT, so I did.  It was one of those things I wanted to do, but didn't enjoy. If that even make sense.  Well, I got to the NT, and let me just say, Mary is pretty awesome, I mean she was the MOTHER of CHRIST, BUT right now, I am amazed by Joseph.  First of all, prophecy told all along that Jesus would be of the line of David...that prophecy only came true because Joseph was such an admirable man and decided to raise Jesus as his son.  Joseph was from the line of David.  Not Mary.  I then came to the part where Joseph decides to QUIETLY break it off with Mary.  That was an amazing thing in that day in age.  Heck, that is impressive now.  He "finds out" his wife is preggers and knows it isn't his and instead of raging and yelling and having her disgraced in public, he quietly decides that he should break it off.  THEN he is visited in a dream and told to stay with her and raise the child and to name Him, Jesus.  And Joseph said ok.  HE AGREED.  I imagine that they were probably publically humiliated multiple times.  I can hear it now "She was preganant BEFORE they were married."  "He cannot even prove that baby is his."  "How dare those two try to claim she is preganant with a HOLY child to cover up their sin."  But Joseph stayed.  We always think of how Mary was chosen because she found favor with God. I think THEY BOTH were chosen because Joseph was a Godly man and would be found worthy of being Jesus's earthly father.  He would pamper Mary as she went through pregnancy and birth or THE Holy child, love her as they parented him together, teach him the family trade, love him, wrap him in his arms when his Heavenly father couldn't physically, pray with and for him, and be his friend.  Today I am in awe of Joseph.  How many men do you know that would take this task on today?  Not many. 

On a side note:  The lineage of Jesus also includes Rahab(a former prostitute saved physically and spiritually by God), Bathsheba(an adulteress who was forgiven and allowed to give birth to a great kind that leads to Jesus), and my favorite love story of the Bible Boaz and Ruth(who wasn't Jewish).  Isn't it wonderful to know God uses people totally engulfed in sin and found to be "unfit".  My God is so good.