Genesis 17:17-27

¹⁷ And Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”

¹⁸ So Abraham responded to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”

¹⁹ But God said, “Seriously, Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you will call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.

²⁰ Regarding Ishmael, I have heard you; see, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.

²¹ But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”

²² When he had finished talking with him, God left Abraham.

²³ Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him.

²⁴ Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

²⁵ And his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

²⁶ That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised.

²⁷ And all the men of his household, those born in the household and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

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Laughter

Sarah was not the only one who laughed at the idea of having a child at ninety years old. But God was not joking. Isaac would be born in a year’s time. Abraham enjoyed a good laugh in the presence of the creator of the universe. Our God is in the habit of blessing us so ridiculously that sometimes we cannot help but crack up.

Do not get me wrong. Serving and submitting to God is a serious matter, as Abraham and all the men of his household learned. There is pain in obedience. But the LORD does not ask us to burn our firstborn sons in the fire. He wants what is best for us – and them. When the heavy lifting time comes, we can rest assured that Jesus has taken that burden upon himself. He has passed on the blessing to believers, just as he passed it on to Isaac – whose name reminded Abraham of that time he and the LORD shared a laugh.

LORD, we ask you to help us keep secure enough in your presence to laugh in wonder at your love and grace.