1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac [a] to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." 7 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 21:1-7)
The story is told of a preacher who went to his church office on Monday morning and discovered a dead mule in the churchyard. He called the police.
Since there did not appear to be any foul play, the police referred the preacher to the health department.
They said since there was no health threat that he should call the sanitation department.
The sanitation manager said he could not pick up the mule without authorization from the mayor.
Now the preacher knew the mayor and was not to eager to call him. The mayor had a bad temper and was generally hard to deal with, but the preacher called him anyway. The mayor did not disappoint. He immediately began to rant and rave at the pastor and finally said, "Why did you call me anyway? Isn't it your job to bury the dead?"
The preacher paused for a brief prayer and asked the Lord to direct his response.
He was led to say, "Yes, Mayor, it is my job to bury the dead, but I always like to notify the next of kin first!"
They say that God has a sense of humor. Indeed He does. Next to salvation, laughter is one of God's greatest gifts. The sinfulness and darkness of humanity would be too much to bear if God did not give us laughter to endure it. With laughter, God overrides the predictable and overcomes the routine-ness of our lives. When man thinks he has control of the world and his destiny, God often responds by demonstrating His power through laughter, such as in the case of Abraham and Sarah. When Sarah first learned that she was to become a mother, she laughed at the idea. She thought her laughter was in secret- although the heavenly visitors whom Abraham entertained knew about it. She may have been thinking, "What a cruel joke to play on an old woman! To give me a baby at my age?" But it was no joke. God indeed blessed Abraham and Sarah with a child of their own whom they appropriately named Isaac. This was a hope thought to be long since dead, yet once it was revived brought joy to this couple from the very depths of their souls. This was holy laughter indeed.
God's laughter is not unlike man's laughter except that it is pure. What we choose to laugh at may reveal what our spirit looks like. God's laughter is not slapstick, ridiculous, or silly- it is always appropriate and powerful, and focuses on His plans and His purposes. It is not risqué, dark, or filthy- as man's laughter tends to be. Again it is pure. It is the kind of laughter which brings tears to our eyes- not tears of sadness, but tears of joy. God brings laughter to help us not to take ourselves so seriously, but to realize that in our relationship with Him there is no one who can have a better time on this earth than a Christ-follower who has been given a good and godly dose of God's laughter. I find that the best way to sell a hard saying or approach a difficult subject is to look at the lighter side; for people listen far more with laughter than they will with their ears.
Today is Monday. Are you facing a long week ahead with little to ease the tension which you feel right now? Try a little laughter. Begin with a chuckle and work your way up to a big belly-laugh. As you do you can feel God's joy within you coming to the surface with love. Christ is always the way to joy as He said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:11)
Prayer: Dear God, I admit that sometimes I take myself too seriously to often see what You desire to do in my life. You have created me to enjoy the life You have given me by opening my eyes to happiness. Make my joy full today. In Christ name I pray, Amen.
Have a blessed day!
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