Honey From The Rock

www.poeministries.org

Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

DON'T LAUGH!

This entry was posted on 02-15-2010 and is filed under STUDIES IN GENESIS.

Have you ever laughed at an inappropriate time. Maybe it was at a wedding or even a funeral. Maybe it was in church on Sunday morning. I'm not talking about laughing at an amusing and appropriate illustration. I mean laughing when we shouldn't be laughing, especially when in concerns God. Sarah found herself in just such a situation one day. The Lord reminded Abraham, now 99, that his wife Sarah, now 90, would have a son. Sarah, inside a tent, heard this conversation.

"Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself . . . And the LORD said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?' Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.' But Sarah denied it, saying, 'I did not laugh,' for she was afraid. And He said, No, but you did laugh!'" (Gen. 18:11-15 NKJV). I notice several things here that are of interest. Sarah's laughter was suppressed ~ she "laughed within herself." Can't you just see her bending over with her hand over her mouth? Second, God knew she was laughing at what He promised them. He even read her mind and thoughts and quoted them back to Abraham. Third, there is a gentle rebuke for both of them ~ "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" That is something we need to keep in mind when we think we are in an "impossible" situation. Fourth, God has an "appointed time." We operate on the clock and the calendar but God does not. His time is always the right time. Fifth, He promises a return. So did Jesus ~ "If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself" (John 14:3). You can always trust God to show up on time ~ His time. Sixth, what God promises He is well able to perform. He said a 90-year-old woman would have a child, and she did! Seventh, we are very foolish to deny our doubt to God. He knows our heart. He knew that fear forced Sarah to nervously laugh, and then deny that she had done so. It is better to tell God our doubts and fears and then do our best to trust Him and His Word.

Hymn: "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word; Just to rest upon His promise, Just to know, 'Thus saith the Lord.' Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er! Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!" (Louisa M. R. Stead)