Merry Christmas!

"Maria?" "Yes, my love, I'm here."

"It hurts, O God, it hurts! I fear

The worst for me tonight." "Rest now

Dear Joseph, God will not allow

Your faith more pain than it can bear."

"Maria, are the children there?"

"The little ones have gone to stay

With Zechariah for the day.

The eldest keeps his vigil still,

And prays for hours on the hill

Behind the house. He's fasted for

A week now, Joseph, since before

The priest imposed the quarantine.

He loves you very much." "I've seen

His love. I thought two years ago

When we missed him in Jericho

And had to search Jerusalem

In anger, ready to condemn,

That he would be a callous lad,

But now at fourteen years the glad

And unassuming boy, who reads

The Torah late at night and pleads

For me in prayer, has run the shop

For these two years without a stop,

While I lie here and rot with some

Unknown disease. I've heard him hum

A Psalm of David as he changed

My stinking clothes and then arranged

My mat and sat me up to drink

Some broth that he had made. I think

That he's the greatest joy I've had,

Maria, though I'm not his dad."

"Mine, too, dear Joseph. It's as though

He bears it all. The children go

To him and cry when I am weak.

He sits them down and helps them seek

Their comfort in the covenants.

He wins complete obedience

For me, and brightens every hour.

He has a strange and winsome power."

"Maria, do you think that he

Could come and lay his hand on me

And use the power to make me well?

Sometimes I feel like I'm in hell

With these blind eyes and fiery pain.

And worst for me is all the strain

Of seven children you must bear.

Could he not heal me with his prayer?"

"He's praying now up on the hill."

"What does he pray? What is his will

For me?" "Pure love, my husband, love."

"And what is this pure thing made of

If not a father's health?... Forgive

Me, my Maria, as I live

I love the boy. But if the word

The angel spoke is true, we've heard

Messiah in our home for years.

And don't the prophets say that tears

Will all be wiped away when he

Appears: the blinded eyes shall see,

The deaf shall hear, the lame shall leap

The dumb shall sing and all who weep

Will shout for joy? And should I quell

The hope that he could make me well?"

"I asked him last week, when the priest

Had left, if he could not at least

Relieve your pain, or give you sight,

Or help you sleep well through the night."

"What did he say?" "He said in sum,

‘Tell Dad, my hour's not yet come.

The timing of the Lord of Host

Will make a widow and a ghost.'"

"Strange recompense for nurturing

The Son of God, the mighty King!"

"O Joseph, we have seen too much

Of God and grace to doubt that such

A Sovereign plans but for our good,

For he can heal and heal he would

If it were best." "What does he pray

Up there, Maria? Did he say?"

"He didn't mention much detail,

But only that your faith not fail.

He says there's something worse than death,

And loss of faith, not loss of breath,

Is what he fights. He's gotten slim

From fasting." "Would you please fetch him?

I want to say goodbye." "I know

The place; I'll hurry now and go."

"Your father wants to see you, son;

I think his life is almost done.

Come, hasten with me to his bed."

"He's here, my love, beside your head."

"I heard you in the synagogue

Once say that there's an epilogue

To life. And then you looked at me.

You knew. Already you could see

The last short chapter of my days:

The gathering dark and distant rays

Of dawn. And now I thank you, son,

That you fought for my faith and won.

Your intercession on the slope,

Your fasting and your love gave hope.

Nor do I doubt that you and I

Will meet again with God on high.

I bless the night that you were born!

May all the world that night adorn.

Maria, come, light him a flame.

Though darkness gathers, praise his Name!" 

~John Piper --Jesus @ Desiring God