Dreams of Joseph - a song to honor the example of Jesus’ foster father
-by Bob Frengel
I am just a carpenter, who loves to work with wood
walking with the Lord who helps me do just what I should
Like my namesake from of old, God guides me in my dreams
but I had no way of knowing, exactly what that means
All the plans that I had, for this God given life
a future family, with a wonderful sweet wife
but all of that changed, in a quiet request
Lord You asked for her and, her heart’s reply was “Yes”
So is this woman that I love, Is she to be YOUR Bride?
Lord if that is your request, I will quietly step aside
But the 1st of your dreams, told me Joseph, Do Not Fear
This Child shall be Emmanuel, for God is dwelling here
Now this woman that I love, Lord, You still want in my care
And You trust me with Your Son, so, I know You’ll help me there
I will put my trust in You Lord, and in Your Word alone
Her Child indeed will be Your Son, but I will raise Him as my own
So now this long long journey, takes us to Bethlehem
A tiring donkey ride, and no room at the inn
Yet there, even there, Lord, You still did us provide
a place for her to rest, my beautiful sweet bride
to bring forth Your Son, to a manger so lowly
but Heavenly Hosts, cried out all His Glory
From the Shepherds to the Kings, coming from afar
Guided on their way, by Your Heavenly star
Now this woman that I love, Lord, You still want in my care
And You trust me with Your Son, so, I know You’ll help me there
I will put my trust in You Lord, and in Your Word alone
Her Child indeed will be Your Son, but I will raise Him as my own
Angels sang His praises, of Your Love now on earth
Joyously proclaiming, glad tidings of His Birth
So we named Him Jesus, Your people He shall save
Despite His utmost humble birth, amongst the animals you gave
Then a 2nd dream You sent to me, of Herod’s deadly plot
So into Egypt now we go, without another thought
This Son whom you gave to me, I protect with great care
I don’t know all your plans Lord, but You will get us there
Now this woman that I love, Lord, You still want in my care
And You trust me with Your Son, so, I know You’ll help me there
I will put my trust in You Lord, and in Your Word alone
Her Child indeed will be Your Son, but I will raise Him as my own
When Herod was no more, and that deadly threat was gone
Your angel in Your dream to me, said time to head back home
But Herod’s son rose up in charge, a warning dream You sent to me,
We made a slight detour back home, to a land in Galilee
Nazareth became our home, in that region of Galilee
So that Your Son could now be called, by name a Nazarene
All these things You arranged for us, wove as our destiny
The things you told, Prophets of old, who wrote for all to see
Now this woman that I love, Lord, You still want in my care
And You trust me with Your Son, so, I know You’ll help me there
I will put my trust in You Lord, and in Your Word alone
Her Child indeed will be Your Son, but I will raise Him as my own
This Son whom you have given, I teach now with great care
I don’t know all your plans Lord, but You will get us there
I don’t know how You’ll do it, for this Child You have great plans
And He must save your people, from the chains that bind our hands.
Through dreams You gave to Jacob’s son, he rescued Israel
And the dreams You gave to me, helped protect our answered prayer
For they helped guide me to raise Your Son, for the mission that You gave
so He could live and die for us, and thus Your people save.
This family that we loved, Lord, that You put in my care
Trusting me with Your Son, and Your Dreams to get us there
So I trusted in You Lord, and in Your Word alone
Her child indeed was Your Son, but I loved Him as my own
And thus He lived and died for us, to bring us to Your Home
With gratitude for the humble example and Yes to God, from St Joseph
-Bob Frengel, December 2020
* While I am considering applying for a copyright for these lyrics via the song I am writing mainly so that anything that comes from this could benefit our church, I would be honored for other musicians if they hear a melody and song to put this to, to allow these words to be shared for the Glory of God. I am truly praying for God to use this as He needs. Just please send me an email to Bob.Frengel@gmail.com, or LovetheLord@L4God.org to let me know if you are using, and how it sounds. With great thanks to our Loving God.
Bible passages related to Joseph (Husband of Mary) and his dreams from God:
from Matthew Ch 1:19-24
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,* yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord* appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,* because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
* “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
from Matthew chapter 2:13-15
* When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,* and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.
* He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
The Return from Egypt from Matthew chapter 2:19-23
When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”*
He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod,* he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee.
He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazorean.”