RETRIEVING
THE JOY

Topics: Advent; Christmas; Death; Grief; Light; Loneliness; Loss; Mourning; Peace; Redemption

References: Matthew 4:16; John 8:12

It looked like Stella Thornhope would be alone at Christmas. Her husband had died of cancer a few months before. Now she was snowed in. She decided not to bother with decorating the house.

Late that afternoon, the doorbell rang. It was a delivery boy with a box. He asked her to sign for the package. After she did, she asked, “What’s in the box?” The young man opened the box. Inside was a little puppy, a golden Labrador retriever. The delivery boy picked up the squirming pup and said, “This is for you, ma’am. He’s six weeks old, completely housebroken.”

“Who sent this?” Thornhope asked.

The young man set the animal down and handed her an envelope and said, “It’s all explained here, ma’am. The dog was bought last July while its mother was still pregnant. It was meant to be a Christmas gift to you.” The young man then handed her a book, How to Care for Your Labrador Retriever.

She again asked, “Who sent this puppy?”

As the young man turned to leave, he said, “Your husband, ma’am. Merry Christmas.”

She opened the letter from her husband. He had written it three weeks before he died and left it with the kennel owners to be delivered with the puppy at Christmas. Her husband admonished her to be strong and said he was waiting for the day when she would join him. He had sent her this young animal to keep her company until then.

She picked up the golden furry ball and held it to her neck. Then she looked out the window at the lights that outlined the neighbor’s house. Suddenly she felt the most amazing sensation of peace. Her heart felt a wonder greater than the grief and loneliness.

“Little fella,” she said to the dog, “It’s just you and me. But you know what? There’s a box down in the basement that’s got a little Christmas tree in it and some decorations and some lights that are going to impress you. And there’s a manger scene down there. Let’s go get it.”

God has a way of sending signals to remind us that life is stronger than death, and light more powerful than darkness. Open the Book and reach for the joy.

—Robert Russell, “Jesus Came to Be the Light,” Preaching Today Audio, no. 195