SARAH: Learning to Laugh
What did Sarah overcome?For me, Sarah shares a difficulty experienced by many women, particularly those in the past: they are seen as an adjunct to men rather than as the individuals God created them to be in God's image.
From the time we first read about Sarai as Abram's nameless wife in Genesis 11 to the place in her story where we find Sarah giving birth to Isaac, Sarah has shared the ups and downs of Abraham's life with all its battles and disappointments. What most of us remember about Sarah is her humiliation about not giving birth to an heir for Abraham, the woman's role that gave honour and respectability and all the prestige that accompanied it.
The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised (Gen.21:1). It is this that made Sarah overcome. Sarah said, 'God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me'(Gen.21:6). The birth of Isaac was the proof that God was faithful to Sarah, that throughout the humiliation of the preceding decades when Abraham had obeyed God, followed God's directions and also passed Sarah off as his sister, God was with Sarah as well as with Abraham. Her laughter of disbelief is turned into the laughter of the victor who knows God is with her. Sarah made mistakes but God honoured her as the Grand Matriarch of the people.
There are many like Sarah who feel that they are insignificant, that God does not see them because they can't live up to expectations -- like Sarah's lack of children. We need to look to Jesus, God's Son, who saw the insignificant, like the tax collector, Zaccheus, and spoke to the 'untouchables', like the Samaritan Woman at the Well.
Sarah's laughter spoke of the lesson she had learned as God overcame her childlessness; let our laughter speak of the victory we have in God through Christ in the Holy Spirit as we rejoice and laugh and bring light into our covid time.
Sarah the Overcomer:
- Sarah became respected as a person in her own sight as well as others';
- God was faithful to Sarah showing God knew her disappointment and humiliation;
- As people laughed with Sarah, may we too laugh joyously in Christ's victory.
Prayer: Holy God, you cause us to laugh after difficulties and reach out to others in challenging times. May our laughter show that Christ in us and for us and with us is what makes us face the obstacles and overcome them. Thank you for this gracious gift through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.
| The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Now Sarah said, 'God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.' 7 And she said, 'Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.' (Genesis21:1-7) |
Rev Zephney L Kennedy -- married to British Paul whose residence permit was not renewed by the Dept of Home Affairs so we are prematurely settled in Hickling, North Norfolk, UK, where I serve in the Church of England church. My son is in SA living independently.
