SARAH'S LAUGHTER

Sarah bears a child at the ripe old age of 90, and calls him Isaac, which means "laughter" for, she said,

            "God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me." Gen. 21:6

Ninety years old and barren all her married life - and now a child, a son. She had reason to laugh; to be glad and full of joy, just as we have reason to be glad, laugh and be full of joy because of all the blessings that we receive from God's hands.

There is a saying: "Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone." I wonder if it has its origin in Sarah's words.

It is very true. This event is recalled in many sermons, by many different preachers from many different denominations, in different countries. After all, is it not a miracle that Sarah could have conceived a child at age 90, with her husband, Abraham, 100 years old?

This child was indeed a miracle; and it is a miracle which God performed more than once throughout Scripture.

Think of Hannah, whom god granted a son, Samuel;
think of the woman accommodating Elisha, whom God granted a son;
think of Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother, who was granted a son.

It would seem as if God has a soft spot for childless mothers, although they certainly were not all 90 years old!

I recall, many years ago having a friend in Durban, who had been married for at least six years and had been unable to conceive. They were visiting Israel, and she was standing in the tomb at the garden grave, when she softly, secretly asked the Lord to answer her prayers for a child. She related how, when stepping over the threshold leaving the tomb, and having to stoop as the door opening is very low, she experienced a very sharp pain in her abdomen... nine months later her only child, a son, who later schooled with my son, was born!

Now Sarah, according to the Bible, was 127 years old when she died, which would have made Abraham 137 years old at the time of her death. And you know there are six other miracles from Scripture that are handly ever noticed or mentioned. After Sarah died, when Abraham was more than 140 years old, he took another wife called Keturah, and she bore him six more children!! Six children after the age of 140 - those certainly should be called miracles as well!

What a wonderful God! Obstacles certainly do not daunt Him - He simply sees no obstacles - because He is God. We, however, often cannot see God over the obstacles in our way.

Thank You, Lord, that we may know that You are bigger than any obstacle that may be in our way, in whatever situation or circumstances. Thank you that we may know that there simply is not a hurdle big enough to present itself as a dificulty to You.