Bible Couples: Joseph and Mary by David Jeremiah

Bible Couples: Joseph and Mary

And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
John 6:42

Recommended Reading: Luke 1:46-55

Two words describe Joseph and Mary: obedient and ordinary. The Bible tells us Joseph was a “just man” (Matthew 1:19). He kept himself sexually pure and did as the Lord commanded him (Matthew 1:24-25). He was a hardworking provider, a carpenter. Mary, too, was a person of purity, prayer, and Scripture. Her songs and exclamations indicate a love for Old Testament truth and a willingness to trust the Lord. “Let it be to me according to your word,” she said (Luke 1:38).

Yet they were ordinary—everyday villagers, obscure people despite their lineage from the House of David. Few people noticed them. Few knew their names. But one set of eyes saw them. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). The Lord saw fit to give them the assignment of the ages.

Our goal in life and in marriage isn’t fame and fortune. It’s faithfulness. The eyes of the Lord never miss a man and a woman whose hearts are obedient toward Him. He will give them an everlasting legacy.

A Single Thought: A willing vessel is a useful gift that God can use—even if it appears “ordinary.”