Abraham looked up from the doorway of his tent, and saw three travelers: he immediately ran to them, bowed low, and offered them his hospitality (Genesis 18:1-5). He, Sarah, and a servant all scurried around preparing a meal of bread, veal, cottage cheese and milk (18:6-8) for these strangers.
Then the chief guest said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah will have a son” (18:10). Sarah, listening at the doorway of the tent, laughed quietly to herself at the idea; Abraham was 99 and she herself was 89 (17:17), long past the age of childbearing (18:12). Then the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh?” (18:13). Indeed, “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” (18:14). It seems that mere biological impossibility would be no obstacle when the Lord is working out the details of the covenant of salvation.
Abraham had earlier laughed at the idea (17:17), and God had not objected; but Sarah was anxious: “I did not laugh,” Sarah said, lying because she was afraid. But the Lord replied, “Oh yes, you did laugh” (18:15).
The text doesn’t say how Yahweh was feeling when he said this. People often assume anger or scolding in this text; but I wonder if there was a twinkle in the divine eye, a chuckle in the voice, a bit of laughter shared with Abraham and Sarah at the promise of the birth of Isaac, a name which means laughter (21:3-6).
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Is anything too wonderful for you, Lord? Are there miracles that are just too amazing to be possible? It is not for us to demand whatever we might like: but teach us to believe that you will indeed accomplish your divine purpose, no matter the difficulties in the way: you are the Lord!
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