“亚伯拉罕 … 喜笑，心里说：‘一百岁的人还能得孩子吗？撒拉已经九十岁了，还能生养吗？’… 撒拉心里暗笑 … 。” – 创 17:17; 18:12
笑不一定都是解忧的良药。有时的笑是对伤痛的嘲笑，这是一种鄙视和嘲弄的笑。患难中遭人嘲笑不是一件有趣的事。
然而，与好朋友一起欢笑真的能够解忧。这是一种在庆典中发出的欢笑：是由衷赞叹的、兴趣盎然的、和满怀欣喜的欢笑。
在两个不同的场合，神反覆向年纪老迈的撒拉和亚伯拉罕宣告他们将会生一个孩子之后，我们听到他们对此笑起来。在创世记17章，我们看到亚伯拉罕喜笑；在后面的那一章，我们看到撒拉也在暗笑。这是一种好奇和惊讶、并且夹杂着一点点不相信的笑声。他们并不是在嘲笑神，他们乃是在嘲笑一个似乎不合情理的计划。尽管神对他们向来都是信实的，但他们仍不大相信神真的会做不合情理的事。然而，一年之后，神应许赐给他们的孩子终于出生了，他们给他起名叫以撒，意思是“喜笑”（创世记 21:1-7）。他们怀疑的笑声变为庆祝和赞美的欢笑。
今天，你在什么事上看到神令人惊讶的作为呢？想像一下，这样的事得以实现，能带给你周围的人多么大的喜乐和欢庆啊。
祷告
赐奇异恩典和喜乐的神，求你除去我们的怀疑和惧怕、以舞蹈代替我们的悲伤、以欢笑代替我们的哭泣，又帮助我们相信你会更新一切。阿们。
创世记 17:17; 18:1-15
17亚伯拉罕就俯伏在地喜笑，心里说：“一百岁的人还能得孩子吗？撒拉已经九十岁了，还能生养吗？”
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。”
The Right Kind Of Laughter
“Abraham . . . laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?’ . . . Sarah laughed. . . .” – Genesis 17:17; 18:12
Not all laughter is good medicine. There is a kind of laughter that mocks and wounds. It’s the laughter of disdain and derision. Being laughed at is no fun.
However, laughing alongside good friends can bring healing. This is a kind of joyful laughter that accompanies celebrations: the laughter of wonder, amusement, and amazement.
On two different occasions, we read of laughter breaking out after God’s announcement that a child would be born to aged Sarah and Abraham. In Genesis 17, we read that Abraham laughs, and in the next chapter Sarah laughs too. This was a laughter of astonishment and amazement mingled with a hint of disbelief. They weren’t necessarily laughing at God, but more at a plan that seemed so implausible. God had been faithful to them, but they weren’t quite sure they believed God would do the impossible. But then the child of promise was eventually born the next year, and they named him Isaac, meaning “laughter” (Genesis 21:1-7). Their laughter of doubt was transformed into a laughter of celebration and praise.
Where do you see God at work in astonishing ways today? Consider how this can bring a sense of joy and celebration to people around you.
Prayer
God of amazing grace and joy, cast out our doubts and fears. Turn our mourning into dancing, our weeping into laughter. Help us to trust that you will make all things new. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
