I have no doubt that God has a sense of very good humour. Some of the events in the Bible make me laugh so hard. God’s way of navigating difficult circumstances is different from our ways. He takes the foolish things of the world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). He called Abraham and promised to make him a great nation. The promise was repeated in every covenant renewal, yet Abraham remained childless until the birth of Ishmael. What was God waiting for? Why did He wait for so long? What was delaying Him? I don’t have answers to these questions but what I know is that God indeed fulfilled His promise. Sarah had gone through a circle of reformation. Her name which signifies her identity was changed to show the kind of blessing she would be to the world. Shortly after the covenant that changed the names of Abraham and Sarah, the couple received angelic visitation. Three men were on their way to destroy Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities in the valley for their sins. Abraham and Sarah demonstrated hospitality to the three men. Genesis 18:6 states that “Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.” Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. (Genesis 18:10) Abraham brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree. “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There, in the tent,” he said. Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. (Genesis 18:8-10). Sarah heard the conversation and laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my Lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” (Genesis 18:12). Why did Sarah laugh? Has she not waited for long? Remember Sarah was almost 90 years of age and naturally, it seemed impossible to become pregnant at such an age. Sarah laughed because it would have been super funny to the people to see a 90 year old pregnant woman. I am just imagining my grandmother getting pregnant at 90 years. Of course in our day, science is able to make it happen but naturally, the woman’s biological clock does not permit the natural conception at 90 years. God indeed has a good sense of humour. No wonder the child was named Isaac (he will laugh, laugher). God’s perfect will does not depend on our physical state, emotional state, financial state or community acceptance. God does not discriminate against age and when His time is right, He will surely perfect all that concerns us. For Sarah, the journey to motherhood was very long and at the time she finally became a mother, her age mates were either grandparents or great grandparents. However, none of them made history. We don’t even know them. Whether her age mates had more children than Sarah doesn’t even matter. Sarah was destined to have just one child, the child whose lineage will connect the missing pieces of Eve’s story in defeating and crushing the serpent (Genesis 3:15). Others had taken the lead, they were blessed but Sarah, is a pillar of blessing. Those who had gone ahead of her still needed to reconnect to Sarah to receive the blessings of God. Maybe, like Sarah, you have waited for so long that you are at the verge of giving up. Don’t give up on God. Your ‘Isaac’ is on the way. The same society that ridiculed you will laugh with you and celebrate God for your blessings.
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