Genesis 17:17 – 21 “Abraham fell face down. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”… But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”
Genesis 18:9 – 15 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied. Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.” But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh.” For she was afraid. “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”
Isaac and Sarah had given up! After years of waiting for God to fulfill His promises, they had decided that God must have been kidding or else that Abraham couldn’t have heard God correctly. And then God showed up and everything changed.
Many times, we have our ideas about how situations are supposed to unfold. We have a time table all laid out, and when God fails to meet our expectations, we become discouraged. Even when God came to Abraham personally and told him that Sarah was going to get pregnant and bear a son, all Abraham could do was to laugh. And Sarah had a similar reaction when the Lord visited Abraham.
In some cultures, laughter is not merely a sign of humor or of derision, but also a sign of embarrassment. And perhaps Sarah was a bit embarrassed. Several years earlier she had made the mistake of giving her maid Hagar to Abraham as a second wife, and that had not gone well. Perhaps Sarah was thinking about being heavily pregnant and trying to get up in the morning with creaking knees – who knows! But Sarah and Abraham both laughed.
What was God’s response to this laughter? Many of us would have become indignant had we been God. “Don’t these humans know who I am or what I can do? What kind of attitude is this?” But God was not offended; in fact, He might have been chuckling right along with Abraham and Sarah. You see, God is all – knowing and He knew the joy that Baby Isaac would give Abraham and Sarah. God knew all the wonderful things that would happen because of this miraculous birth. And so, God forgave Abraham and Sarah and blessed them with the son He had promised.
APPLICATION:
How do you respond when your best efforts have been scorned? Obviously, none of us is God and none of us is all – knowing. But we can still follow God’s example. Abraham and Sarah laughed because they didn’t have all the facts and they found God’s promises incredible. But after that baby was born, they were laughing with joy.
When others laugh at you or criticize you, forgive them. They may not have all the facts that you have. And given them time, just as God gave Abraham and Sarah time. If you have acted appropriately, future events will justify your deeds. And even if your critics refuse to change their minds, forgive them anyway! Why carry a burden of resentment that only hurts you?
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us so much that You forgive us for our unbelief. Thank You that You are the God of heaven and earth and that nothing is too difficult for You. Help us to love you and trust you and to forgive those who criticize or scorn us. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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