<TITLE>03. Par 8-10</TITLE>L-8 As she made her way down along the path, I believe (or I might say this as a little drama) that she was thinking about what happened the day before. After they'd come from church, why, it was customary that her engaged husband, Joseph, was to come home with her that day for dinner. And as dinner was made ready, why... They'd had their dinner, and as usual, they set out on the porch, looking across the little valley over on the other side of the hill.
Joseph was a carpenter. And knowing that he was fixing to marry this beautiful young Jewish maiden, being a carpenter, he was building their future home over on the other hill. So, you know, I'd imagine it had to have that little special touch to it, because he was going to bring his pretty young bride into this home. The doors had to fit just right. And he was taking his time about doing it, because he didn't want a hurry-up job on this one. He must be... The windows must fit just right, and the doors just right. I'd imagine when he went in the gate it might have been a big heart shape, so... when he went in to make the gate in the shape of a heart. Roses all around the house.

L-9 And they'd planned this for some time, since their engagement. And they would go out there on, say, a Sunday afternoon, and sit down on the porch, and look just across where their future home would be. And as a custom they'd speak about the Lord, because they were both great believers in God. And this Sunday was a special one. As they hurried dinner and got the dishes washed, and Joseph was already setting on the porch when Mary arrived, and it must have been a conversation something like this, as they usually talked about the way the house was shaped, and how it would look, and the rabbis would come home with them for dinner. But instead they fell on the subject of the morning's message that they'd heard from the rabbi, the notable, honorable one. And perhaps it was Mary that said, "Joseph, wasn't that a striking message this morning that the rabbi preached, our beloved pastor?"

L-10 "Oh," Joseph must have said, "that was an outstanding message. I loved it so much when he spoke of that great Jehovah God Who led our people out of Egypt. Did it not thrill you when he read the scrolls of Exodus when they were brought out, and how that Jehovah led them by a Pillar of Fire? And they just had no compass to go... but they went by the leading of the Spirit. Oh, Mary, wouldn't it be wonderful that if we could live all of our lives watching that Pillar of Fire and be led like they were?
"And how that when they needed food He rained the manna out of heaven; they had bread. And then when they needed flesh, He blowed in quails from the coast: filled the ground. And when they needed water, He had a smitten rock. When they were sick, He had a brass serpent for an atonement for their sickness, and, oh, how great it was."
"But," he said, "Sweetheart, I believe he spoiled the whole thing when he said, 'But alas, Jehovah doesn't do that any more. ' Somehow or another I have always believed that that Jehovah always remains the same. He just can't fail. And I believe that the reason that we have... living in the days that we are, is because that our people has lost faith in Jehovah."


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