Isaac = Laughter

(8-1-04)

Gen.21:1-7

^{LK 6:21} Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.  Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. ^:22 Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you  and reject your name as evil,

because of the Son of Man.^:23 "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.

          We are made in the image of the Almighty and reborn into the likeness of His Son, this is an awesome thing God has done. When I consider all that God has woven into the fabric of our being, I am overwhelmed. Of all of God’s creation I don’t know of any other creature that has the capacity for joy. Out of joy flows this thing called laughter. (it is worth distinction that there is other reasons people laugh, and also God for that matter, such as in ridicule or scorning.)

          For the sake of this lesson we are interested in those expressions that flow from a heart at ease. David writes of this in Psl.126. This laughter flows from the heart made glad by God’s hand of blessing. Our reading from Gen.21 today speaks of this open expression of joy for God’s great promises fulfilled.

Earlier Sarah had laughed at the message of promise that she would bear a child because she was old beyond normal child birthing years. (Gen.18:12-15)  I am not sure how God felt about Abraham laughing at the news of him and Sarah having a child so late in their years, but His response was to have the boy named Isaac as a reminder. (Gen.17:17-19) The text tells us Abraham  fell face down.. 

H3327  יצחק  yitscha^q  BDB Definition: Isaac = “he laughs”

1) son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau  Part of Speech: noun proper masculine

          Laughter is a healthy thing to do, or so many believe. I think I would agree. Tension is very destructive but laughter works well to relieve it. Not the laughter of those who are jeering and ridiculing , but the laughter that flows from a clean heart. It is good to laugh at the humorous things of life. Ken Davis the Christian comedian  says that when we can’t laugh at our selves, then we are taking our self way too seriously. He has a valid point. I don’t know about you but I have done some really dumb things, maybe just down right stupid things. (How about you?)

          I can not imagine the God and Father of all creation not finding reason to laugh at us in our daily mishaps. Can you? Any person who has ever watched children playing will soon see something worth laughing over. Life is full  of moments and they don’t stop happening in our old age, that is unless we stop living life. I think we all know people who have become so consumed by their life’s focus that they no longer seem to be able to enjoy the blessings. What a tragedy!

          So what is the best way to overcome the gloom and the doom? Look for the silver lining. Look for the gold. Is God still honoring his promises? Does He still redeem the lost? Does he still bless our lives? Does he still giving out of an open hand the richness of His grace and mercy? YES! YES! YES! And YES! Praise be the God who loves us!