Laughter of Unbelief – Dr. Hona Amer

Scripture:

“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’!” Genesis 21:5-7 (MSG)

Perspective:

If you spend time with good friends, you are bound to have a good laugh. You reminisce about the stories from the past, and the joy of sharing memories with friends results in laughter.

God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants would be numerous. The only problem was that he and Sarah had no children. Weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. Birthday after birthday passed, and they still had no son. In Genesis 18, the Lord told Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son, and they laughed in disbelief. Sarah was the age of a grandma when she had a baby boy. They named their son Isaac, which means laughter. God was not intimidated by their laughter of unbelief, but He remained true to His promise. Isaac was a continual reminder that God has an unusual way of accomplishing His purpose. In the same way, it may be easy for you to laugh at the promise God has given to you. The impossibility of your circumstance might propel your unbelief. Yet, like Sarah, God wants to turn your laughter of unbelief into joy. The ways that God works can sometimes seem humorous. Although you don’t laugh out of disrespect, you recognize that God tends to work in ways that defy human understanding. Maybe you have seen God come through for you in your finances or marriage in an unexpected way. As you think about it, laughter wells up in your heart. Mark that moment in time in your memory, and may the joy of God’s faithfulness overflow in your life.