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I'm Not Laughing
Andrea Lende • June 19, 2020
Genesis 18:13-14
I’m Not Laughing
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Im-Not-Laughing-eflmep
Daily Word:
Genesis 18:13-14
“And the Lord asked Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I really bear a child when I am so old?”
“Is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appointed time, when the season [for her delivery] comes around I will return to you and Sarah shall have borne a son.”
Sarah had been listening to the conversation between the Lord and her husband, Abraham.
God had told Abraham that Sarah would have a son.
Of course, we know that both of them were too old to bear children.
But that’s just about the time that the Lord brings His plan into action.
When it seems impossible.
That is when He can show Himself as God – the miraculous God that He is.
Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.
First imagine having a conversation in person with the Lord.
How wonderful that must have been.
To come face to face with the Almighty.
Abraham was so fortunate to have been in the presence of the Lord many times.
God loved Abraham.
He favored him.
He increased Abraham’s wealth and fortune greatly as He told him He would do.
But Abraham had to leave his homeland, his family, his clan, and everything he knew at the age of 75 to get it.
There are rarely bountiful blessings without sacrifice on this earth.
Abraham believed God’s promises and obeyed the Lord’s commands.
And God called him righteous for that.
As Abraham increased in age, he and Sarah were unable to conceive.
They stepped out of God’s plan at the age of eighty-four to have a son with Sarah’s handmaiden.
Then had to wait another 16 years to have their own son according to God’s Word.
Again, as the Lord told Abraham of this wonderful gift, Sarah laughed.
Sarah denied her laughter to the Lord.
She lied to God.
I suppose the Lord could have held back His blessing.
But He did not.
He asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh?”
And, said, “Is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord?”
We know that there is nothing too hard or wonderful for the Lord.
But then we look at our own circumstances and think there is nothing that God can do with them.
These scriptures encouraged me today as I realize that nothing is too difficult for the Lord.
I am not too difficult for Him.
My circumstances are not too difficult for Him.
He can do all things.
I will not laugh at His promises and plan for my life.
Today I choose to believe that the God of all ages and of all people is bigger than my problems and my circumstances and I look forward to watching Him work in my life.
May you find that the Lord is bigger than your problems and your circumstances and that He is working everything out perfectly for His glory.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me, once again, that there is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You to do or accomplish. Thank You for showing me that You have a perfect plan for each and every one of us. Thank You for showing me that You do not go back on Your Word. From the beginning of time Your Word spoke into existence this world and created each of us. Help us all turn to You in our time of need. Help us know that You will lead us into victory. Your plan is for Your glory and may not look like what we have asked for, but You answer our prayers perfectly. Give us patience to wait for You. Strengthen us to stand in the midst of the storm. Keep our eyes on You, Lord, and keep us looking to the heavens for our rescue. Soften our hearts and fill us with Your love. Help us cling to Your promises and not laugh at Your plan for us. Help us bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing our prayer.
Answer: I AM working in your life and all the lives of My people. Hold fast to my Word for it will come to pass.
Response: Strengthen us, Lord, to stay strong during this time of unrest and fill us with Your love.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.