“Sarah said, ‘God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.’ And she added, ‘Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.’” Genesis 21:6-7
The joy Sarah experienced when she had Isaac (Isaac means “laughter”) would be shared by others when she told them the story. She was barren, Abraham was too old, and she had given up on having children long ago. People would laugh for joy because this child was tangible evidence of three things:
- God is alive. Because of the circumstances, this was clearly a miracle that only a living God could do.
- God is good. Life can be harsh and frustrating, but this child was a desire fulfilled that gave Sarah, and anyone who would hear about it, a taste of how good God is.
- God is gracious. Sarah had tried to have a child her own way through Hagar, and then laughed cynically when she heard God’s promise of her having a child. (Genesis 18:12) When she was asked why she had laughed, she lied because she was afraid. Yet God did the miracle anyway! God does wonderful things, not because of our great faith, but in spite of our imperfect faith.
What does this have to do with us? Everything. “Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.” (Galatians 4:28) The God who owed us nothing but death, gave us eternal life. The one who was heading to hell is now on the path to heaven. The life that was degenerating in isolation is now regenerating through adoption into God’s own family, by the Spirit of life.
We are the miracles that should bring heaven’s laugh into this dark, cynical world. God loves us and Jesus died for us! Don’t forget to laugh today at how wonderful these simple truths are.
One Thing 