seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 18:9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.
“There, in the tent,” he said.
10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”
But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
“There, in the tent,” he said.
10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”
But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
I love these verses. The Lord told Abraham that about this time next year, Sarah would have a baby and, overhearing, Sarah laughed.
Now get this right. I love these verses. Here's a very human Sarah, who had been known her whole life as Sarai, reacting to a very hurtful idea. Everyone had been laughing at her and scorning her for all the years she was with Abraham, who had been known his whole life as Abram, because she couldn't have a baby.
She believed it when God told Abram that he would make him a great nation. She even gave her servant Hagar to Abram to make it happen. Then even Hagar had scorned her and been cruel to her. But she had learned to live with it.
After all this time, she had learned to live with the fact she was not a mother. Now she was old. This is not a joke any more.
So when she heard the promise one more time.... in modern lingo she said "Yeah Right!" under her breath..... It says she laughed as she thought....
Ever done that? Laugh out loud when you mean to keep it to yourself? I think that's what she did.... and when the Lord asked her why she laughed.... she had to be surprised that the Lord had heard her. She was embarrassed and probably afraid... I mean, who laughs at the Lord.... no matter how ridiculous the statement is....
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