I have three cousins who live here in the Twin Cities. Because their dad, my uncle, is 14 years younger than his sister, my mom, these cousins are about a half a generation younger than me. In the past few years, all three have become married and are now starting to have children of their own. It’s exciting to be walking with them in this time and helping to celebrate these new joys as the next generation in our family is being brought into the world. Each cousin, together with their spouses, has a beautiful child of their own. What a gift to behold.
The joy of having a child for Sarah and Abraham was something they had lived without for so long. But God had made a promise and God’s promise was realized when Sarah gave birth to their son. They named him Isaac, which is a form of the Hebrew word for laughter, reminding us that this was Sarah’s response to God’s declaration that, even though childless for decades, they would indeed have a child. “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.” (v.6) Sarah’s delight is now everyone’s delight too.
What unexpected delight of life might bring a smile to your face today? What joyful thing makes you giggle? Better yet, what might cause you to snort a little coffee out your nose or downright “lol” – laugh out loud?
In a world overflowing with anxiety, grief, uncertainty, and fears of multiple magnitudes, spending a little time looking for laughter could be just the right thing to encourage us in the face of these challenges. We can trust that God is seriously at work in the world but not all of God’s work is serious. Hopefully, a little laughter will see us through.
May God’s peace find you this day. – Pastor Peter
Let us pray…
God of love and laughter, we thank you that we are so wondrously created and that we are made for relationship with you and with one another. We thank you for laughter with friends and loved ones. We thank you for the laughter of children, and the song it creates in our hearts. May the troubles of all your people be soothed, blessed, and comforted by your holy presence. May we each find the laughter within us that sets our spirits free, and in that freedom, may we take your love into every part of our lives. Amen.
(adapted from a “Liturgy for Laughter,” RevGalBlogPals.blogspot.com)