笑对我们的心脏很好。我希望你能回想起许多欢笑和快乐情景。
但并非所有的笑都一样。有时可能是嘲笑。当我告诉人们，我——一个超重的、身材走样的老年人——要骑自行车穿越加拿大时，许多人都不相信地笑了。
当90岁的撒拉被告知她要生个儿子时，她因为不相信而笑了。她知道女人过了一定年龄就不会怀孕了。这个说法一定听起来像个笑话。之前亚伯拉罕被告知撒拉将要生子时，他也笑了 （创 17:16-17）。
读这个故事时，我发现我的发笑往往跟缺乏信心连在一起。我常常把一些人与人之间的过结、教会的停滞和一些绝症看作“事情就是这样”。我看到神问的问题也适用于我：“耶和华岂有难成的事吗？”以弗所书 3:20提醒我们神能做“超过我们所求所想”的事。
当神成就了祂的应许，赐给亚伯拉罕和撒拉一个儿子时，他们给他起名叫以撒，意思是“他喜笑”（参创 17:19）。现在他们的笑有了正面的基调，正如诗篇 126:3所说：“耶和华果然为我们行了大事，我们就欢喜。”当我们认识到神持守祂的应许时，愿神也赐给我们这样的喜乐！
主啊，感谢你赐给我们欢笑这一礼物。请赐给我们信心相信你的应许，以喜乐充满我们。阿们。
创世记 18:1-15
1耶和华在幔利橡树那里，向亚伯拉罕显现出来。那时正热，亚伯拉罕坐在帐篷门口，
2举目观看，见有三个人在对面站着。他一见，就从帐篷门口跑去迎接他们，俯伏在地，
3说：“我主，我若在你眼前蒙恩，求你不要离开仆人往前去。
4容我拿点水来，你们洗洗脚，在树下歇息歇息。
5我再拿一点饼来，你们可以加添心力，然后往前去。你们既到仆人这里来，理当如此。”他们说：“就照你说的行吧。”
6亚伯拉罕急忙进帐篷见撒拉，说：“你速速拿三细亚细面调和做饼。”
7亚伯拉罕又跑到牛群里，牵了一只又嫩又好的牛犊来，交给仆人，仆人急忙预备好了。
8亚伯拉罕又取了奶油和奶，并预备好的牛犊来，摆在他们面前，自己在树下站在旁边，他们就吃了。
9他们问亚伯拉罕说：“你妻子撒拉在哪里？”他说：“在帐篷里。”
10三人中有一位说：“到明年这时候，我必要回到你这里，你的妻子撒拉必生一个儿子。”撒拉在那人后边的帐篷门口也听见了这话。
11亚伯拉罕和撒拉年纪老迈，撒拉的月经已断绝了。
12撒拉心里暗笑，说：“我既已衰败，我主也老迈，岂能有这喜事呢？”
13耶和华对亚伯拉罕说：“撒拉为什么暗笑，说：‘我既已年老，果真能生养吗？’
14耶和华岂有难成的事吗？到了日期，明年这时候，我必回到你这里，撒拉必生一个儿子。”
15撒拉就害怕，不承认，说：“我没有笑。”那位说：“不然，你实在笑了。”
“But he said, ‘Yes, you did laugh.’” — Genesis 18:15
Laughter is good for our hearts. I hope you can think back on many joyous and laugh-filled occasions.
But not all laughter is the same. Sometimes it is cynical. When I told people that I—an overweight and out-of-shape senior citizen—was going to cycle across Canada, there were many who laughed to themselves in unbelief.
Ninety-year-old Sarah laughed in disbelief when she was told she would give birth to a son. She knew that after a certain age, women simply do not get pregnant. The idea must have sounded like a joke. Abraham had also laughed earlier when God told him Sarah would have a son (Genesis 17:16-17).
While reading this story, I was convicted that my cynicism is often tied to a lack of faith. I sometimes see old feuds, a lack of growth in our churches, and incurable illnesses as “just the way things are.” And I see that God’s question applies to my life: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”
When God fulfilled his promise and a son was born to Abraham and Sarah, they named him Isaac, which means, “he laughs” (see Genesis 17:19). Their laughter now had a positive tone, as in Psalm 126:3, which says, “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” May God give us that kind of joy when we recognize that he keeps his promises!
Lord, thank you for the gift of laughter. Give us faith in your promises, and fill us with rejoicing. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
