The Last Laugh

DAILY BYTE

Sarah’s laugh, founded as it was upon suspicion and despair, did not have the last laugh.

A couple of chapters later in Genesis, Sarah does indeed give birth to a child which she names Isaac or ‘Yitzak’ which means ... (wait for it) ... ‘he laughs’!

God was incarnated in a human moment yet again! Sarah’s laughter was transformed from suspicion to holy joy because she saw that there were indeed angels in every tree and that God was in every moment, and his promises could be relied upon despite the evil that is prevalent.

‘But wait,’ I hear you thinking, ‘it was easy enough for Sarah to be joyous when her prayers had been answered.’

Did you know, though, that from the time the first promise was made to Abraham and Sarah, she waited about 25 years before she first heard the shrill sound of her own infant’s cry?

What about those then, who right now, are living within the scope of those 25 years? Who are living in the barrenness of seemingly unanswered prayers and living in lands filled with immediate pain and despair?

This story teaches us that living in wonder and hope, the RIGHT kind of wonder and hope, will ALWAYS give birth to new life within us – just like it did for Sarah. This life may surprise us, it may not be exactly as we prayed for, it may not be quite what we expected, but we WILL give birth to life.

That is the promise of God – we will know life. That’s what we need to open our eyes and hearts to.

I remember when I was little and saw some street clowns performing on a busy city street. A big crowd had gathered around them, and I was too short to see what was going on. My father hoisted me up onto his shoulders so that I could see the clowns in action.

It’s like divine promises put us up on God’s shoulders, so that we can see past the barriers of our living.

That promise is no matter how dark events can become, no matter how much evil seems present, no matter how much barrenness seems to dominate – that nothing is too hard or wonderful for God.

Hope will not disappoint and there will always be God-life poured into every situation. So don’t give up, don’t despair, and certainly don’t narrow your eyes with suspicion – rather open them wide because God is alive and on the move through the world!

PRAY AS YOU GO

God of Hope and Wonder, we pray that as we live in hope and trust that you would give birth to new life within us. Help us to be open to that life and what it may mean for us. Even if we are living within Sarah’s 25 year period of seemingly unanswered prayers, help us not to lose faith but to stand upon your shoulders. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

FOCUS READING

Genesis 21 : 1-7 MSG

GOD visited Sarah exactly as he said he would; GOD did to Sarah what he promised: Sarah became pregnant and gave Abraham a son in his old age, and at the very time God had set. Abraham named him Isaac. When his son was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born. Sarah said, “God has blessed me with laughter and all who get the news will laugh with me!” She also said, “Whoever would have suggested to Abraham that Sarah would one day nurse a baby! Yet here I am! I've given the old man a son!”