There are many carols and hymns that mention Mary and shepherds and angels many times over, but only one Christmas carol I could find even gives mention to Joseph, so I decided to write my own "song." It's based on "Mary Did You Know?" but marvelling at the incarnation from Joseph's perspective to add another dimension to our Christmas reflections.
Here is a portion of the poem I ended the message with, with the parts that highlight the adoption theme from the earthly level to the heavenly level, from father to Father:
Joseph did you know? That this newborn boy you just washed clean with water,
That He would cleanse you for adoption by His Heavenly Father?
... Joseph did you know? When the angel told you to name Him as His father,
That Name would also save your biological sons and daughters?
... Joseph did you know that your little boy, the one who calls you "Abba,"
Would later cry that to heaven before the wrath of God The Father?
Did you know that your little boy you taught to tie his shoes,
That this son that you adopted would die to adopt you?
Several asked me afterwards for the lyrics so to read the rest of the poem I've posted to below in printer-friendly PDF:
http://media.sermonaudio.com/mediapdf/1224122125327.pdf
For the rest of the message the poem was based upon, you can also go to below:
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1224121155435
As our family reflects on God's adopting grace to us, I pray you would marvel afresh, perhaps in a new light, at the Christmas story and how Christ brings us into His family.
Merry Christmas from the Laytons
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