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 The Last Laugh By Trudy J. Morgan-Cole
By the time Abraham got that message, Sarah was already beginning to worry. She had been married for several years without bearing a child. People were beginning to look at her with pity, to whisper the dreaded word "barren" when they thought she couldn't hear. Yet even after God's promise, years went by and Sarah's womb remained empty. Being childless was more than just a personal sorrow for Sarah. Her husband, Abraham, was an important man, wealthy by the standards of desert nomads, destined to be the chieftain of a great tribe. But without sons, even a wealthy man was powerless. Sarah's infertility threatened Abraham's standing in the eyes of those around him. It seemed like a personal rejection from God—the God who had promised Abraham a family yet failed to bring a baby to Sarah's arms. More years passed. Sarah grew old. She passed menopause; it was obvious to everyone now that she would never bear a child. God would have to find another way to fulfill His promise. Abraham seemed confident that God would come up with a solution, but in her heart Sarah doubted. Then one day strangers arrived at their tent. Sarah stayed inside, preparing some food to offer their guests, while Abraham talked with the men outside. Through the open tent flap she heard an amazing conversation. "'Where is your wife, Sarah?'" they asked. "'There, in the tent,'" he said. "Then the Lord said, 'I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son'" (Genesis 18:9, 10). Sarah couldn't believe her ears. One of their mystery guests was speaking with the power and authority of God Himself—and He was promising that she would have a baby within a year. She looked down at her body—old, withered, weary. She couldn't imagine this tired old body springing to life, growing a baby inside, giving birth. It was the most ridiculous idea she'd ever heard. After all these years of unfulfilled promise, who was this stranger coming to her door and claiming to bring the promise to fruition? He had to be crazy! The Bible tells us what happened next: "Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, 'After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?' "Then the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, "Will I really have a child, now that I am old?" Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.' "Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, 'I did not laugh.' "But he said, 'Yes, you did laugh'" (Genesis 18:12-15). Sarah heard God's plan for her, and she laughed. It was so outrageous as to be unbelievable. She just couldn't take it in. Too big? Have you ever laughed at God's plan for your life? Most likely you've never had angelic messengers show up at your door and make predictions for your future. But God's plan for your life may be revealed through the words of Christian mentors—a pastor, teacher, or friend who says, "I could really see you in this role." Or His will might be revealed through a need someone asks you to fill. Or perhaps His dream for you is hidden within your own deepest, unspoken dreams for yourself: "Someday I'd like to try . . . " Those dreams often seem extravagant, impossible, out of reach. We'd like to serve God, do His will for our lives, but fulfilling His plan involves resources we haven't got, skills we know we lack. Like old, tired Sarah, we look at ourselves in the mirror, hold up our unimpressive selves against the shining brilliance of what we could be—and we laugh. It's impossible. It's unrealistic. God's dreams are too big for us. God confronted Sarah head-on with the fact of her laughter. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" He asked. Of course the answer is no. Sarah would have had to admit that if God wanted a 90-year-old woman to have a baby, He could certainly do it. It was no more amazing, after all, than creating the entire universe at His command. If God could create life, then He could bring life to an old woman's womb. If we accept that we serve an all-powerful Creator God, we have to believe that nothing is too hard for Him. Most of us can accept that idea in principle, but it gets a little harder when we apply it to ourselves. If you'd asked Sarah, "Do you believe that God can do anything?" I'm sure she would have said, "Yes!" But if you'd asked her, "Do you believe that you, Sarah, are going to have a baby within a year?" well, that would have been a different story. If you were asked, "Can God do anything?" you, too, would probably say yes. But do you really believe that God can equip you with the skills, the confidence, the ability to fulfill His plans for your life? He can. But each of us, like Sarah, has to learn to lay aside our skeptical laughter and put our faith in the One who can do anything. "Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. . . . 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 21:1-7). The name Isaac means "he laughs!" The Bible story of Isaac's birth ends with God, Sarah, and Abraham laughing together, sharing their joy at the impossible thing God was able to do. Like Sarah, we may laugh at God's plan. But God laughs at our obstacles. With Him, everything is possible. ______________________________ Trudy J. Morgan-Cole is a freelance writter from St. John's Newfoundland, Canada. Reprinted with permission Women of Spirit, Jan/Feb 2007, p. 19-20. All rights reserved © 2009 AnswersForMe.org. Click here for content usage information. |
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