Silent Obedience

Silent Obedience

“God so often speaks and calls us in the everyday things of life”

A reflection on St Joseph of Nazareth by Rev Joseph Nelson (LCiGB Pastor – Leeds)

Given that my name is Joseph, it is not surprising that St Joseph has always been an important figure for me. When I was a child, I always looked forward to the 19^th of March (St Joseph’s feast day) because my Mum would always get me a lemon drizzle cake, some Maltesers, something Church related, and a card. I would always try to get to Church on St Joseph’s Day. I must admit, however, that until I was much older the stories of the Old Testament Joseph, with his dreams and famous coat, were often far more interesting than the stories of Joseph of Nazareth which were somewhat overshadowed by the events that he was involved in. However, over time I grew to appreciate this great Saint and to learn from his example.

Joseph is an interesting figure in the Bible. He is not a figure that we spend much time thinking about but, as we will see, we probably should.

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit”

The Gospel of Matthew introduces Joseph as a descendant of the royal line of King David (the people in this list are fascinating and worth some time reading about if you get a chance) and begins the narrative by saying:

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly (Matthew 1:18-19)

We hear that Joseph was a righteousness man. A man who sought to obey the law. Yet he was also full of compassion for Mary. According to Deuteronomy 22, Mary could, in theory, have been stoned for being pregnant with another man’s child; but Joseph chose to “dismiss her quietly” rather than cause her further pain.

Yet, when an angel stepped in, Joseph obeyed the Word of God:

²⁰ But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ ²² All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

²³ ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and they shall name him Emmanuel’,

which means, ‘God is with us.’ ²⁴ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵ but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son^; and he named him Jesus (Matthew 1: 20-25)

St Luke’s Nativity taken by Pastor Joseph.

Later, Joseph is again visited by an angel and again he obeys the Word of God spoken to him:

¹³ Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ ¹⁴ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, ¹⁵ and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son’ (Matthew 2:13-15)

“Joseph is a model of obedience paired with compassion”

Joseph is a model of obedience paired with compassion and love. He sought to do the right thing and to follow what he believed God was calling him to and yet he still had compassion towards Mary; even when he believed that she was pregnant with another man’s child. Then, when he heard the Word of God, he had faith in God and obeyed.

Amazingly, we have no recorded the words of Joseph. In so many ways that speaks volumes. He carried out his vocation faithfully, working in the world in obedience to God’s Word and command. God so often speaks and calls us in the everyday things of life – in Joseph’s case in his vocation as a craftsman, a husband, and a father.

As many of us know, so often it is not in the miraculous or the extraordinary that we hear God’s calling, but rather God speaks to us, as he spoke to Joseph, in the normality and everydayness of our vocations when we seek to serve him faithfully.

“So often it is not in the miraculous or the extraordinary that we hear God’s calling, but rather God speaks to us… in the normality and everydayness of our vocations when we seek to serve him faithfully”

As Lutherans, the saints serve as examples to us that we may “follow their faith and good works, according to our calling” (Augsburg Confession, Article 21). St Joseph is the best example of someone to follow who, despite the unexpected circumstances, lived his faith quietly and confidently in obedience to God’s call, and in faithfulness to the vocation set before him.

A prayer for St Joseph’s feast day:

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, forever and ever. Amen.