I know that we’re already into Passion Week, and I’ll no doubt have a few appropriate meditations as we approach Easter. Our reading program has just started Matthew, however, and I don’t like to miss the unsung hero of the nativity: Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. He doesn’t get much press: a few mentions here in Matthew, even fewer in Luke, and a few people in the gospels refer to Jesus as “Jesus, son of Joseph.” None of his words are recorded.

But Matthew tells us of four angelic visits and four instant responses:

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”…When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (Matthew 1.20, 21, 24, 25, ESV)

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, 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.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt... (Matthew 2.13 – 14, ESV)

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. (Matthew 2.19 – 22, ESV)

Four angelic visits, four immediate responses, two in the middle of the night!

And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt. (2.14)

And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. (2.21)

No one wants to get up in the middle of the night! A few days ago, our dog who almost always sleeps through the night had a problem, and I had to take him out at 2:30 am and again at 5 am. Even when I know that he’s not just changing positions, but he needs to go out, I have a tough time “rising and taking.”

“Rise, take the child and his mother…” Obedience requires work, and sometimes it requires an instant response! Arise…

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (1 Corinthians 15.10, NIV)

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them…Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14.21, 23, 24, NIV)