If I Could Ask One Question of Sarah, I would ask “Why Did You Laugh — and How Could You Tell G-d You Didn’t?”

 “God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Then 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?” And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live in your sight!”  Genesis 17:15-18

 “They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?” The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. He said, “Oh yes, you did laugh.”  Genesis 18:9-15

When G-d told Sarah and Abraham that they would have a child in their old age, they both laughed. Their laughter at G-d’s plan showed their disbelief that G-d could do such an amazing thing in their lives — but could you blame them.  The Bible tells us, “Then the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, not that I am old?’ Is there anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.’ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, ‘I did not laugh.’ But he said, ‘Yes, you did laugh.’”(Genesis 18: 13-15).

We like to think that both Abraham and Sarah would have believed G-d at once — we like to think they would have had no doubts, but why should Abraham and Sarah be any different from you and me? If you and I received a message from G-d stating something completely out of what we believed was the realm of possibility, would we not also question? And in our disbelief, we might also have burst out in laughter. Abraham and Sarah simply find G-d’s word nearly difficult to believe — and they react with scoffing laughter. After all, Sarah is well past the age of childbearing — who wouldn’t scoff? But of course Sarah takes it a step further by denying that she laughed. That, my friends, takes courage — though it seems she was more afraid than courageous.

However, Abraham’s response to the Lord does not display total disbelief in the covenant promise. He falls on his face, symbolic of submission, trust and worship. Abraham shows us that real confidence in G-d doesn’t rule out times when G-d’s promises are hard for us to see. We sometimes forget that “anything is possible for G-d” while you and I are limited by our humanness. It is a challenge to always remain open to the limitless possibilities of G-d’s sovereignty and providence.

But this is the one question I would ask Sarah. What is your question?

Pastor Dave