The Last Laugh

Genesis 21:1-7

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. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to 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.”

When we read the story of Sarah laughing at God's promise in Genesis 18, it's easy to be a little hard on her. After all, she laughed when God said she would have a son.

But before we judge Sarah too quickly, it might be worth remembering a few details.

Almost certainly, Sarah didn’t know the message came from God. Also, Sarah wasn't twenty-five. She was ninety years old! She and Abraham had spent decades hoping, praying, waiting, and wondering. They had endured years of disappointment and heartache. By the time God repeated the promise, Sarah wasn't being cynical. She was being realistic.

"Come on," she might have said. "I'm no spring chicken!"

But look at the progression in Sarah.

In Genesis 18, Sarah laughed because the promise seemed impossible.

In Genesis 21, she laughed again because the promise had come true.

That's why I love what she says after Isaac is born: "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me."

The story begins with laughter of disbelief and ends with laughter of joy. Not laughing at anyone, but laughing together.

There's another beautiful detail hidden in the story from English-speaking ears. The name Isaac comes from the Hebrew word for laughter! In a sense, every time Sarah called her son's name, she was reminded of what God had done.

"God has brought me laughter." It’s almost, “God has brought me Isaac.” And there he was. Living proof.

Sometimes God works quickly. Sometimes God's promises unfold over years or even decades. Most of us know what it's like to pray, wait, and wonder if anything will ever change.

I don't know what promise you're waiting on today. I don't know what burden you've carried for a long time. But I do know this: God is still at work in ways we cannot always see. He always fulfills his promises, just not in ways we expect. And sometimes, after all the tears and waiting and wondering, grace gets the last laugh.

Let's pray.

Father, thank you for your patience with us when hope grows thin and faith grows weary. Remind us that you are still at work even when we cannot see the outcome. Give us the courage to trust you, the patience to wait on you, and the joy to recognize your blessings when they come. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Donn King.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

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First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.