Laughing At God

Scripture: Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” Genesis 17:17

Observation: God comes to Abraham when he is 99 years old, and tells him that he and Sarah will have a son. His response is to laugh. How can two century-old people have a kid? Physically this is impossible. Abraham is also to call his son Isaac, which means, “he laughs.” Yet less than a year later, God has the last laugh as Isaac is born. Abraham laughs because what God is proposing is so preposterous. Yet behind this laughter does not seem to be sarcasm or derision. There is an element of joy, of amazement, of wonder. God does not berate Abraham for his laughter, but even names his son after it. It seems to be a joyous moment of wild and unruly expectation.

Application: One of the things that has driven me over the last year to really hear from God in his word is this: I want to laugh at God. Not out of disrespect or unbelief. But I want to hear God divulge his plans to me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future. I want God to tell me things I cannot believe, and I cannot help but laugh at. Then to follow him in obedience and see him bring that to pass. I long for God to have the last laugh with me as he does the impossible.

Prayer: God, I still seek you. You are telling me things that, frankly, I find funny. But I am laughing in hope, in the nervous anticipation of what might be. Help me recover a sense of wonder and joy as I meet with you. Don’t let me take my job and life so seriously that I miss out on your sense of divine humor.