An unexpected burst of laughter flew from Abraham’s lips. Waves of mirth shaking his shoulders followed by uncontrolled bellows of boisterous hilarity. The idea was preposterous. The suggestion ridiculous. The likelihood nonexistent. In spite of having heard the promise in the past, the concept was too fantastical to grasp in the present. So Abraham laughed. (Genesis 12:1-3; 17:17)
Sarah laughed too. Perhaps a laugh colored less with incredulity and more with painful disbelief. She’d heard the promise before. The first time Abraham had come to her and announced God’s promise, her heart had soared in joyful anticipation. She had waited expectantly. Weeks passed. Months. Years. Indeed, decades had passed since that initial announcement. Her womb was still barren. Her arms were still empty. Her heart was still ragged and broken. Her faith in the promise was so deeply depleted she couldn’t bear to allow herself to believe again. So instead, Sarah laughed. (Genesis 18:12)
There seemed to be no other appropriate response for either Abraham or Sarah. They had believed for so long. Been disappointed so often. The dried remnants of their exhausted faith were terrified to believe the words spoken to them in their old age. It was beyond the grasp of their imaginations. Too much to hope for. Too much to risk. Their bruised spirits couldn’t withstand another round of heartache, another stretch of grief. So they laughed and went on about their business.
They were in for a grand surprise! The meager faith that had brought them through harrowing circumstances and fierce trials in the past was rewarded. The promise they had begun to think was made in error was finally fulfilled. God filled Sarah’s 90-year-old arms with a wrinkly, red, squawling bundle of baby boy just as He had promised so many years before. He had not forgotten. He had not been remiss. There had been no miscommunication. At long last, at just the right moment, the promised son had arrived. And Abraham and Sarah laughed again.
I imagine the countryside rang with joyous shouts of exuberant laughter at the birth of Isaac. Abraham was probably doubled over again. Not merely because they now had a child. Not simply because of the miraculous conditions of his birth. Not solely because their bloodline would continue. No. Their laughter was about so much more than that. It was about their faith, meager and depleted though it was, becoming sight. It was about God coming through just as He promised. It was the knowledge that, regardless of what happened in the interim, how much time elapsed, or how impossible the promise seemed, the God they knew, believed, and served would fulfill every word He promised. No matter what. (Genesis 21:1-8)
It is what God does. He keeps His word. Always. In His time. In His way. Our job is often to wait. Ask Joshua and the Israelites. God promised them victory over Jericho in spite of its mighty warriors. It seems the discussion among the troops would have been raucous. Was there not a different, more expedient way of dispatching their enemies? Must they really parade themselves around the city once a day for six days doing nothing but encouraging target practice by Jericho’s archers?
As dusk began to fall on the first day of maneuvers, did they look to see if that stalwart wall was starting to erode? As they marched on day two did they glance up to see if any bricks had come loose? By day three, were they starting to question the likelihood of this endeavor? As they trudged around Jericho and saw no evidence of deterioration, did their minds wonder? Did their faith falter? Did they start to question if God had set them up to be defeated? Did the nagging voice of the evil one whisper that maybe God wouldn’t, couldn’t keep the promise He’d made? Were they tempted to change their tactic? Were their clandestine conversations of revolt? As they gathered together on that final morning, perhaps their ragged faith taped together with the barest hint of hope this plan would work. Perhaps as they lifted their voices in that shout, they used the last vestiges of their faith to do so. It is good they did. Because God had been busy all along. Whether they saw the evidence during the week or not, God was working out His purpose. There must have been rumbustious laughter on the seventh day when, at the perfect time, in the perfect way, God kept His word. (Joshua 6)
Truthfully, the hardest part of faith is waiting. I have no trouble believing God has the ability to work miracles. I have no difficulty believing in His power to change lives. I absolutely believe God’s wisdom is unmatched, His thoughts and ways greater than mine, His timing perfect. Yet still, between the promise and the fulfillment, I often find my faith fatigued. I feel frustrated that His methods do not match mine. I feel anxious that the answer is not instantaneous. I get antsy; try to move things along.
It is such an ill-advised plan. Just like Sarai sending Hagar to Abram when God was slower fulfilling His promise than she hoped He would be. She tried to push things along, tried to fulfill the promise on her own. It couldn’t be done. The child conceived was not the promised heir. It was not the right time. Not the right place. Not the right mother. Sarai’s work did not result in realized faith. It only brought anger and anxiety. (Genesis 16)
My machinations never turn out right either. And, frankly, God doesn’t need my help keeping His word. I don’t have to hold His feet to the fire. He doesn’t need a thousand reminders of what He said. Not one passage of Scripture instructs us to daily remind God of His promises so He doesn’t forget. No. It says quite the opposite. God never forgets. He does exactly what He promises. The answer may not look like I thought it should. It might take longer than I hoped it would. In the interim, in the waiting, my faith might grow weary, start showing signs of wear and fatigue. That doesn’t change the promised outcome. In God’s way, in God’s time, He will keep His promise and my mourning will be turned to joy, my sadness to jubilation, and my exhausted, weary, weatherbeaten faith will laugh uproariously in exuberant joy. Because every promise of God is “yes” in Christ. Amen. So be it. (II Corinthians 1:20; II Chronicles 6:14; II Samuel 22:31; Joshua 21:45; Mark 9:23; Psalm 71:22; Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Perhaps you are in the waiting area of God’s promise fulfillment center. Maybe you have been waiting months, years, decades for the results of your faith in those promises. Perhaps your faith has taken a beating along the way, leaving you worn, worried, weary. Maybe you are tempted to maneuver an answer on your own. Don’t. You don’t need to. The fulfillment of those promises will come! God is working even if you can’t see it. His timing is perfect even if it doesn’t align with your calendar. His method is exacting and always gets the proper results, even if you don’t understand it. So sit back. Gather the tattered remains of your fatigued faith together and rest in Him. Wait for Him. In His way, in His time, God will keep His promises and your soul will reverberate with the joyous laughter of one whose worry, weeping, and weariness has been turned to joy. Yes. Amen. So be it. (Psalm 37:7; Psalm 30:11; Isaiah 61:1-3; Isaiah 40:31; Romans 8:25; Hebrews 11:1; Psalm 42:11; II Peter 3:9)
Thank you, thank you, thank you for a much needed word of encouragement!!