Contemplative Bible Reading

Genesis 18:13-15 (New Living Translation)

13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

15 Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.”

But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”

God is chatting with Abraham and his wife Sarah. Let that sink in for a moment before reading further.

Abraham and Sarah are old—90+ years old. God tells them that Sarah will have a baby this year. Understandably, Sarah laughs or scoffs at this idea.

God asks, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did Sarah doubt the power of God to produce a baby?”

Sarah denies her understandable, perfectly reasonably laugh. I mean, how many times have you seen a 90-year-old woman have a baby? Well, they are talking to God, and we know what God can do or at least we think we can imagine what God can do.

Now we go back to consider this. Abraham and Sarah are chatting with God. They are talking directly to God. Really? How often does that happen? And Sarah thinks she can hide her laugh from God. Hide her laugh from God? Really? Where did she get that idea? Her reaction to God’s promise is reasonable. Her reaction to God’s knowledge of her laugh is just plain silly. She flips from reason to silliness in a second.

Sigh. We can shake our heads at Sarah. How could she possibly think she can hide her laugh from God? God knows all. Especially here where God is right in front of them.

And yet, I think I can limit what God knows about me. I think God only knows what I tell God directly. How silly is that? How foolish is that? I can tell God, “I didn’t laugh. I didn’t do that or this or some other thing.”

Oh foolish me. Please God, help me in my unbelief.