Sarah Laughed

So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” Genesis 18:12 

  

  One of the things I love about the Bible is how honest it is about the people portrayed there. I can imagine Sarah giggling to herself as she hears God’s messengers tell Abraham that Sarah, who is well past childbearing age, will become pregnant. 

  When the divine comes into contact with humanity everything impossible suddenly becomes possible. We could chide Sarah for not believing God’s promise, but how often do we do the same? How often do we doubt when we ought to believe instead? 

  Never rule out what God can do. He may bend or break natural laws to do His will, working a miracle in our midst. He is the Master of nature, the Almighty God who is not limited by our human weaknesses or doubts. Nothing is impossible with Him (Matthew 19:26). 

  Seeing with human eyes we become blind to the divine, the miraculous, the possible. Limited by our experience and knowledge we can get into the habit of limiting God and doubting His purpose for us. That would be a terrible mistake. Humans are naturally short-sighted. Too often we cannot see more than a couple of steps on the road ahead. Let’s not become so dim with our human vision that we cannot see the future and hope God has prepared for those who love him. 

  

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 

  

  Consider what God can do, especially when everything seems impossible in your circumstances. When you are tempted to laugh at the idea of God bringing your dreams to pass, when your afflictions seem unending and never changing, remember Sarah. She laughed at the possibility of having a child, but it was not long before that child lay lovingly in her arms. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, You are the God of the possible. Help us never to forget that fact, no matter how dire or unchanging our circumstances seem. Amen.