Joy Set Before Us

There’s a unique joy on the golf course — a crisp morning walk, a solid strike, the beauty of creation all around. But as golfers know, that joy fades quickly when your ball finds OB. Golf reminds us that earthly joy is fleeting.

Hebrews 12:2 points us to a joy that endures:

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus endured the cross not with dread alone, but with “joy set before Him”— the joy of reconciling us to God, of defeating sin and death, and of opening the way to eternal life.  That same joy set before Jesus that gave Him strength to obey His Father’s will is the source of our own strength in all situations.

Nehemiah once said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” We understand why: joy rooted in Christ’s finished work cannot be shaken. Life, like golf, has tough holes and long stretches where nothing seems to fall our way. Yet when we fix our eyes on Jesus, we can endure with confidence, knowing the outcome is secure, victory secure.

So whether on the course or in daily life, remember Hebrews 12:2. Joy isn’t just a feeling — it’s a foundation- a state of being.   Because Jesus kept His eyes on the eternal prize, we can live with strength today, anchored in His victory.

That joy is ours — and it makes all the difference.