A Prayer about the Laughter of Hope

“God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me” (Genesis 21:6). 

Surprising Lord,

At some point, we’ve all felt the despair Sarah felt 

after years of waiting for the child you had promised, 

after any physiological hope for a baby was past, 

and if we’re honest, 

we’ve tried our own sinful fixes 

to get what we believe you want for us. 

And yet, Lord, you continue to pursue us. 

You come to Sarah (and us), 

you challenge her (and us): 

“Why did Sarah laugh and say, 

‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 

Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14). 

Like Sarah, we deny our denial of hope, 

but you are firm: 

“No, but you did laugh” (Genesis 18:15). 

Time goes by, 

and your seed of hope planted in us blooms 

into something beautiful, 

just as Sarah’s barren womb gave birth to Isaac. 

And we join Sarah in proclaiming, 

“God has made laughter for me; 

everyone who hears will laugh over me” (Genesis 21:6). 

Help us today to remember 

all of the times 

you have brought laughter out of our despair, 

and help us to hope again.

In Jesus’ surprising name. Amen. 

Read Genesis 16, 18, 21:1-7.