LAUGHTER AFTER TEARS

LAUGHTER: Is there anything better than the laughter of a baby or young child? The innocence of their youth and the simplicity of their joy is enough to make even the most hardened stoic laugh with them. It's only appropriate that after disappointment and tears there should be a time of joy and laughter. After all, to everything there is a season, a time to cry and a time to laugh.

Continuing our theme of divine appointment in human disappointment, I thought after visiting my two granddaughters this weekend, that we would consider laughter after tears. One minute the girls were crying and the next laughing. Doesn't that seem to be the case in your life? Tears usually accompany disappointment and laughter, joy. But, all of these are by God's divine appointment. The Lord Jesus once told His disciples, "you now have sorrow, but you shall see me again and your hearts will rejoice." The Psalmist wrote, "Crying may continue for a night but joy will come in the morning". It is inevitable that while we live in this life, we shall experience both sorrow and joy, tears and laughter.

This reminds us of Sarah and Abraham's great disappointment of a childless life. They were unfruitful in child bearing, but they did have the promise of God that they would one day bear a son. And, while at one point their own schemes seemed to get in the way of that promise, it was said, "Nothing is too hard for the LORD".

We can imagine the many days of sorrow and nights of tears Sarah especially must have shed since being barren in those days carried a much larger stigma than in our own. And, think of the ridicule Abraham must have endured as everywhere he went when asked his name he had to say, "Abraham", which means the father of a multitude. Imagine the embarrassment he felt when asked , "well, how many children do you have", and he had to answer, "well, none". We can be sure that many would reply, "but you are old and your wife old and beyond the hope of child bearing age and yet your name is father of a multitude? What hope do you have?" I have often wondered if Sarah and Abraham after many of those conversations went to their beds in sorrow, disappointment and tears. But, even in their sorrow, their disappointments and their tears the one thing they did have was hope in the promise of God. He had promised a son and the New Testament tells us that Abraham against hope, believed in hope that he would be the Father of many nations. Why such hope? Was it not because the God who had promised was also able, "nothing is too hard for the LORD." And, the God who promised is also faithful. He will do as he has said.

Was God faithful to Abraham and Sarah? This brings us to the birth of Issac whose name means laughter. Yes, God was faithful to His promise and Abraham's hope proved to be vindicated and we now see him as the father of a multitude. It may have taken years, it may have been through disappointment and tears but God did as He had promised and Abraham and Sarah's disappointment and tears were turned by God's divine appointment to joy and laughter.

Do you feel unfruitful today, unfruitful in your job, your marriage, with your children, in ministry? Have you been hoping against hope in a promise that seems never to be fulfilled? Are you shedding tears of disappointment because it seems God has not done as He has said? Remember Abraham and Sarah today and know that even though today, tonight, tomorrow or maybe even years to come you are facing nights of sorrow and tears, joy will come, God will be faithful to you and you too will laugh and others with you at what God has done for you, in you and through you. Cast your burden on the LORD, look to him, wait for him - he will bring it to pass. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall LAUGH!!!!"