The Forerunner

About Joseph

is what I want to tell you

 

where we find ourselves

stretched out

the eastern

winter sun streaming in balmy

 

we watch again together

the movement, the little

tiny specks of dust

as if of gold

 

dribbling down

as if on a ladder only they can see, like that of Jacob, and

preciously as if in tune

the cat stretches out too

 

fondly watching you I see

the love streaming towards

and you just sit waiting to hear

about Joseph, suspecting

an amazing colourful story

to be heard, and

 

anticipation hangs with the

specks of gold dust in the air

making me feel encouraged

to tell you about Joseph

 

did you know, I say

Joseph lived to be a forerunner

of the Messiah, for us the Christ

a saviour in the very real sense

 

and I pause, giving you time, and

as you make sense of this important information

the moment becomes holy

and you wait

in fact we both do

 

I weigh my words

as if on a scale

I have to carefully

measure them too

 

having to make sure

they come out right

the way it was

 

how Joseph went through

the valley of death, darkness

to be right there where needed

to save the family of God

then small

only Jacob's sons

 

the famine hit so hard

it was across all the lands

faced by starvation

all the peoples were,

even Egypt

 

but the Father sent a dream

to the gentile ruler

the message was sent ahead

in picture form

lean cows

 

I watch seeing the full weight

the words making its impact

sinking deep down it goes

to the core where you process

 

and I feel encouraged

telling you about Joseph

did you know I say, Joseph

had a gentile bride?

 

this pricks your fascination

having heard enough

about Joseph by now

to make the connection, seeing

 

the gentile bride foreshadowing

the church

 

and when Joseph's

forgiveness of the brothers

gets new meaning

you fetch us a fresh cup of tea

 

where we find ourselves

stretched out

the eastern

winter sun streaming in balmy

 

you wait to hear more

about Joseph the forerunner