Joy

As many of you know, I am an avid Missouri football fan. This was elevated by my sophomore year of college when I attended a Missouri - Nebraska contest that was voted the college football game of the year. At the time, Nebraska had an 8-0 record, was ranked #1 in the country and had won the national championship 2 out of the past 3 years. Missouri on the other hand, had a 6-3 record and was unranked. With 7 seconds left in the game, Missouri was up 38-31 and Nebraska had one last chance to tie it from the 12 yard line. As time expired, the quarterback threw the ball into the end zone and as the ball reached the receiver, he was immediately hit by the Missouri defense and the ball shot down toward the ground. As you can imagine, the reaction of 70,000 fans was elation and joy. We began to rush the field to celebrate the most amazing win in Missouri history. However, our joy was short lived, the game was not over. Evidently, as the receiver was being tackled to the ground, he kicked the ball into the air (which for the record should have been a penalty) and another Nebraska receiver caught the ‘flea kicker’ to tie the game. In overtime, Missouri fought hard but ultimately lost the game. Needless to say, I saw a swing of emotions. What had been joy moments ago was now disappointment, anger and bitterness. In fact, I was so pathetic that I even entered into a mini depression and even now as I recall this story I have to remind myself that it was only a game.



Why did I lose joy after that football game? Because win or lose, it was a temporary joy, based on a changing circumstance. Now to a certain extent, it is healthy and honest to be disappointed. But there is another type of joy, it is an eternal joy, it is a deep seeded joy based on an unchanging circumstance of God. This joy is no secret and it is offered freely to all because it was purchased for you and for me at the cross. It is a joy of knowing that our deepest needs in life are met, forever. This unchanging joy floods our hearts as we realize our need for a Savior and that through the cross, we have been forgiven of our sins, accepted as righteous, adopted as a child of God and given a relationship with Jesus Christ. According to Galatians 5:22, this joy from Christ is given to all who have surrendered their life to Jesus, without exception and without changing.
So how about you? Would people describe you as a ‘joyful’ person? If so, why? If not, why not? How do we, in the changing circumstances of life, nurture the joy given to us by Christ? It is not by trying to become more joyful or by the power of positive thinking. The answer is even more simple than that. To nurture your joy you must prize Jesus above all else! You see, if we prize Christ above all else, then we not only cherish the One who makes us most joyful, but we cherish the One who is unchanging. We cherish the One who will never leave us nor forsake us.
So how about you? What are the treasures competing for your heart? Look at your planner and your checkbook. Is your treasure money, sports, peace, recreation, a lake house, morality, success, food, rest? What is it? Whatever it is, they are all changing and temporary, except for Jesus. Surrender your treasure to Jesus and make Him your treasure and your joy, because you first were His.
1 John 4:19 We love because He first loved us.