A continuation of the shortened story told by Marjorie Holmes in her book TWO FROM GALILEE, please enjoy today's chapter of the life of Mary and Joseph as they face the difficulties of giving birth to God's child, who will grow up to be the Savior of the world, Jesus the Christ.
Mary spoke now, after her pain ceased for the moment, "If I die, if this destroys me, you must know one thing, Joseph. I did not sin. You are the only man I have ever loved."
"Hush, my blessed, hush." That this could be uppermost in her mind--at this time--seemed to Joseph unutterably pathetic. And that he could have doubted her--unendurable. "I know how pure you are," he said. "God forgive me for doubting you even for one minute. I was the one who sinned." He stroked her matted hair, picking away wisps of straw. "And you won't die. God would not allow it."
She relaxed a little and lay back, dozing. The pain was gone for the moment and his words had comforted her. While she rested, Joseph rose and quickly began unloading the donkey. He would need a basin, bowls, linens--so many things. The mid-wife must come! But, he must be ready, either way. And he also knew his donkey must be cared for with food and somewhere to rest. He washed his hands and took some soup to Mary,. Lifting her carefully he had her sip a bit of soup, it having been hours since they had eaten. "You need your strength, my darling." "Yes,' she said, "for the child. I'll need new strength to bring it forth--and to attend to it." She drank the entire ladle-full and handed it to him, "You, too, Joseph. You will also need your strength before this night is done." Then she remembered, "The midwife--have you sent for her?" He nodded, "Surely she will be here soon."
"Yes, surely," she said, speaking half to assure herself, half to keep him from worrying. "I wish it could be my mother!" "Would to God it could be your mother--or some woman! I can't leave you, Mary, and I won't. But as a man, I have no knowledge of these things!" Don't be afraid," she said gripping his hand. "We're forgetting that this is God's child and God will not abandon us. Although we are weak and human, God did choose us to be his servants! Surely he will help us!" Joseph remembered, thinking, God's child! She was right. God would let nothing happen to his own child, nor to her who was delivering it.
"I must think," Mary said. "while I am clear-headed. I must instruct you. You must build a fire and keep the swaddling clothes warm. And the water must be hot. Warm for the bathing the baby. And a knife, dipped in the hottest water before cutting the cord. It's to drive away evil spirits that might harm him." "A knife?" Joseph gasped, and Mary answered, "Yes. It must be done. You must do all of this if the mid-wife doesn't come. And the cord must be tied securely with dried gut. There is a parcel with both the knife and the gut somewhere. I put it in just in case the birth should come somewhere unexpectedly. And the salt is for rubbing the child."
Joseph's head began to whirl. He had thought that this which had begun as a miracle should conclude as a miracle, simply because God's son must come forth in a manner more fitting than to be hurled from a woman's body! He began to gaze about him. Such lowly surroundings--the oxen and sheep, the little donkey braying for food, the smell of dung and hay, the cold rock walls. This humble setting was the best that he, Joseph, could provide. Even so, he thought..... and he prayed--even so, God's own angels would surely fill the place at the last and lift my Mary up and draw from her loins the blessed being!
The night wore on. Joseph had finished his work, the donkey fed and bedded down, the fire tended, his hovering over Mary. Now and then he dozed, dreaming, then he'd spring up wildly, guilty and sick whenever she began to moan. Sometimes she would scream, "Help me! Help me! Joseph! Oh, God, help me!" Yet, he could not help her to bring forth the child, or stop her agony. And God, the one she'd always called upon, heard her not, as well.
Joseph's face ran with sweat and his heart became black within him. He remembered his mother crying fitfully in childbirth while his father paced the fields and wept. And he wondered at the God who could, in this way, betray his own creatures--especially in bringing forth his own Son. HIs sigh ran deep within him.
"You--God!" he challenged. "You-- God! Where is your miracle now?" (End of today's story)
Oh, how we look for miracles when we find things hard that life brings about. God is the patron artist of our lives, yet we have hardships, hurtful, wearying hardships. What do we learn during a hardship when we feel the agony is more than we can bear?? We can bear it all because God is within us and in the midst of us and he wisely brings us through it all with the blessings of what we now know. That blessing is what we have learned and the knowledge that God is always among us and for us. We have learned to trust, to have faith in the One who knows us. God help us to remember this!!
Lovingly,
Jo INMN
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