What can we learn about God's timing from Sarah's joy in Genesis 21:6? The Scene of Joy “God has made me laugh,” Sarah exclaims, “and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6) A ninety-year-old woman cradles a newborn—an event so impossible in human terms that it produces contagious laughter. This moment is the culmination of a twenty-five-year wait for the promise first spoken in Genesis 12:2 and reiterated in Genesis 18:10,14. Waiting on God’s Clock • Twenty-five years passed between promise and fulfillment (Genesis 12:4; 21:5). • Abraham and Sarah’s bodies were “as good as dead” reproductively (Romans 4:19), underscoring that only God could accomplish this. • During the delay, they experienced doubt (Genesis 16:1-4), correction (17:17-19), and renewed assurance (18:10-14). Lessons on Divine Timing • God’s timetable is set by His sovereignty, not our urgency. – “Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you…” (Genesis 18:14). • Delay is not denial; it is preparation. – Abraham’s faith matured while “hoping against hope” (Romans 4:18-21). • When the promise arrives, joy eclipses the pain of waiting. – Sarah’s laugh of disbelief (Genesis 18:12) is transformed into a laugh of delight (21:6). • Fulfilled promises become public testimonies. – “Everyone who hears of this will laugh with me”—her personal joy invites communal praise. • God’s timing magnifies His glory. – The very impossibility of a nonagenarian giving birth ensures that credit goes solely to the LORD. Living These Truths Today • Trust the set time. “For the revelation awaits an appointed time… though it lingers, wait for it” (Habakkuk 2:3). • Remember God’s perspective. “For a thousand years in Your sight are but a day” (Psalm 90:4; cf. 2 Peter 3:8). • Replace anxious laughter with anticipatory joy; God’s promises never fail (Joshua 21:45). • Share your testimony when God answers—your joy can ignite faith in others, just as Sarah’s laughter invited the whole community to rejoice. Sarah’s jubilant cry teaches that when God’s perfect moment arrives, it brings both personal gladness and a wider witness to His faithfulness, proving that divine timing is always worth the wait. |
    |