"She Laughed"

Sarah laughed and then denied it,

When she heard the visitor say,

That she was going to have a child,

And God would make a way.

First made as a promise,

To her husband, Abraham,

As many as the stars above,

And grains of seashore’s sand.

That’s how many children,

Would eventually come to be,

Starting out with only one,

Just you wait and see.

And the blessed seed of the woman,

Will crush the serpent’s head,

Though he will bruise him on the heel,

That’s what the Good Lord said.

And sure enough she had a child,

And laughter was his name,

‘Cause that is just what Isaac means,

And he was called the same.

But the years passed and the laughter,

Died and then was gone,

‘Cause God required old Abraham,

A sacrifice so strong.

To take his dear son, Isaac,

And put him to the knife,

On the altar at Moriah,

And then sacrifice his life.

But at the final moment,

The Good Lord stayed his hand,

Since he did not withhold his son,

The blessing would be grand.

We celebrate at Christmas,

The birth of God’s own Son,

But the promised birth of Isaac,

Shows how far the race was run.

And Jesus said that Abraham,

Rejoiced to see His days,

Abe knew that if he killed his son,

From death the Lord could raise.

And when I gave my life to Jesus,

I became one more,

Of stars that fill the sky above,

And sands that fill the shore.

“And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn't just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in Him…” (Romans 4:23-24, NLT)

Paul wrote that Abraham was credited with righteousness because of his faith in God. He also explained that when a person puts their faith in Jesus Christ, they not only become a child of God, they become a child of Abraham. Abraham is called by scripture the father of the faithful. And the promise that was made to him was incredible indeed. When he and his wife, Sarah, were far to old to have a child, and Sarah had been unable to conceive even as a young woman, it was physically quite impossible for them to have a child. Yet a miracle happened and Isaac, which means laughter, was born to them. From Isaac came a family, from which came a tribe, then a nation, and finally a Messiah that would save the world. The Bible teaches that every time a person believes in Jesus Christ, the promise God made to Abraham is fulfilled. And the birth of Jesus, in the line of Abraham, makes salvation possible.

Lord, help us realize the depth of all You have promised, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mary Ross Buchholz, used by permission. Thanks, Mary, and God bless you.