The Bookends

"Bookends!"  As I finished  reading Mark 15: 42-47  the word popped into my mind.  This can't be an original thought. Have you noticed that two men named Joseph were called to care for Jesus at His most vulnerable times?

Joseph, the husband of Mary, cared for Jesus at the beginning of His earthly life.  This Joseph was called to be the earthly father of Jesus.  He is the one and only person that we know the name of who was present at Jesus' birth.  We don't know much about Joseph the father.  He was an obedient man.  When the angel gave him instructions about Mary's situation, he obeyed, against social norms of that day. ( see Matthew 1:18-25).  Later when the angel told him that the child was in danger he took his family to Egypt.  After Jesus is 12 and stays in the temple while both His parents were headed home, we don't hear of Joseph the father again.

Joseph of Arimathea cared for Jesus just after He ended His earthly life.  As evening approached on the day Jesus died, this Joseph approached Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.  After the centurion verified His death, Pilate released the body to Joseph.  He bought linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the cloth and laid it in a tomb.  Finally he rolled a stone against the entrance.

These two Josephs have a few attributes in common.  They were

J ust -

O bedient - responded to God's call

S ervant - put Jesus' physical needs before their own

E xpectant - eagerly awaited The Kingdom

P roper - followed the laws of the land

H ad a small but very important role in His mission.

I ponder why these two men were selected and remembered for their common yet vital ministry.

A third Joseph answers my query.  The Joseph in Genesis who experienced betrayal and slavery at the hands of his brothers and rose to power in Egypt reminds me that God is control of the "Big Picture".  "You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."  Genesis 50:20

God has The Plan.  God is in control of The Plan.  God calls ordinary people to play a small part in His Plan, even people like the Josephs, you and me.

God is faithful from beginning to end.  I have couple of other bookends that remind me of His control and His faithfulness.  The sun comes up every single day and sets every single day.   His faithfulness will continue until the very end of time.  The bookends remind me.