No Greater Joy

Read: Matthew 2:9-11

The Ravens were up by one in the championship game of the winter league basketball tournament when the scoreboard buzzed. The game was over! All the guys huddled around their star player, Bryson Phillips, who scored 28 of their 62 points.

On the car ride home, Bryson couldn’t stop looking at his Most Valuable Player trophy. “This is the best day of my life!” he told his dad.

Suddenly a bird swooped down in front of their car. “Watch it!” yelled Bryson. Dad tried to swerve, but it was too late. The car hit the bird head-on, and it instantly fell to the ground.

Dad pulled over. Bryson raced out and knelt beside the bird. “Is it still alive?”

“I’m afraid not,” said Dad.

As they continued driving, Bryson set his trophy aside and peered out the window. He thought of his friend Alex. It had been over a year since Alex had passed away from cancer. It had taken him and his family by surprise—one day Alex was fine, and then suddenly, he was gone. Just like that bird getting hit by our car, Bryson thought.

“Are you okay?” asked Dad.

Bryson looked at the trophy in the seat next to him. “All of a sudden this trophy seems kind of worthless,” he said. “I’d give it back in a heartbeat—along with every Raven basketball victory—if it meant getting Alex back.”

Dad sighed heavily. “I miss Alex too. Life is precious—more precious than anything we earn or receive on this earth.”

“Much more precious than winning basketball championships,” added Bryson.

Dad nodded. “Jesus is the giver of life. That’s why He came into the world. He sacrificed His life on the cross so we could have eternal life—a life that goes beyond the years we live on earth. The joy of life with Him is better than anything else. Even when we experience difficult things—like losing Alex—we can be joyful knowing that Jesus walks with us through life’s troubles and promises us a life with Him that lasts forever.”

Bryson smiled as he thought of Alex in heaven with Jesus. He picked up his trophy again. “I do like the joy of winning, but it will never come close to the joy Jesus brings.”

Dad smiled. “Nothing does.”

–Randy Saller

How about you? What things in life give you joy? Winning a game? Spending time with family and friends? Having others recognize your accomplishments? God blesses us with many good gifts, but there’s one thing He wants us to treasure above everything else—His Son, Jesus. Only Jesus can give us life that lasts forever and joy that is unlike anything else.

Today's Key Verse: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. Matthew 2:10 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Rejoice in Jesus