Joseph's Sacrifice

I'm on the worship team at church-- meaning I play the piano in the church band. Sunday morning, I wanted to review the music so I had an idea of what we would be playing. We had plans to do a new song that morning. So I grabbed my chord sheet, set up a YouTube video of the song, and sat down with my bowl of cereal and my 4-year-old daughter.

The song is called "Joseph's Lullaby," so it goes without saying that it's from the perspective of Jesus' daddy. It has lyrics like:

"Go to sleep my Son
Go and chase Your dreams
This world can wait for one more moment
Go and sleep in peace"

and

"Lord, I ask that He for just this moment
Simply be my child"

and the killer line

"Soon enough You'll save the day
But for now, dear Child of mine
Oh my Jesus, Sleep tight."

My brain inserted my son's name into the "Jesus" slot: "Oh my Jeremiah, sleep tight." I thought about the tremendous sacrifice Joseph had to make. It's something I haven't considered in a long time. When my son was a newborn, I thought (and cried) often about God separating Himself from the eternal bond with His Son. I wouldn't give my son to save anyone-- let alone myriads of people who would only reject him and spit in his sweet face. I do not love anyone enough to give that gift.

Sunday, I thought about Joseph and how he KNEW his precious boy was not his. That He would grow up and "save the world." He would only make it to about the age my husband is now.

Oh, to know with certainty that my child would die. Too many parents experience this news from somber doctors. I am so very blessed to be able to hold my healthy son, oblivious to what his future holds. Not that he's mine anyway. But I like to feel like he is :)

These thoughts filled my mind Sunday morning, and I began to cry. My very concerned daughter worked her way around the table to comfort me, all the while hosting saucer-sized eyes, and asking what was wrong.

She knows who Jesus and God are, but it's all vague. I tried explaining that they're the same, but that Jesus was sent here as a baby. He had to grow up and die. His mommy knew He would need to do this, and I was thinking about how sad that was, even though it was GREAT news for us. It's like explaining physics to a fly. She assured me that she wouldn't die.

It's such an amazing story, riddled with complexities and mystery. I am SO grateful that He came for me. That He was willing to put Mary and Joseph through what He did so that I could know Him. And if it's not enough just to know Him, He's given me freedom and a full life.

I cannot begin to comprehend the amount of work, planning, and sacrifice that went into giving me-- ME-- the ability to have the relationship I do with Him. Wow, You blow me away. Thanks :)