Let's Try Laughter . . .

In Genesis 21:6, Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”

I’m enjoying immensely the words of Charles Spurgeon in the devotion book, Look Unto Me: The Devotions of Charles Spurgeon. In a recent devotion, Mr. Spurgeon shared regarding Sarah and the laughter she enjoyed upon the birth of her son. I especially enjoyed the following excerpt from that devotion, which I knew certainly didn’t describe me on a day-by-day basis. It certainly is food for thought.

“‘May my mouth be filled with joyous laughter because of the extraordinary, surprising grace I have received from the Lord, for I have been found by Jesus, the promised seed, and He is mine forever. Today I will lift up psalms of triumph to the Lord ‘who remembered me in my low estate’ (Psalm 136:23), for ‘my heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance’ (1 Samuel 2:1).

“I desire that all those who hear of my great deliverance from hell and my blessed salvation, which have ‘come to me from heaven’ (Luke 1:78), would laugh for joy with me. I would love to surprise my family with my overwhelming peace, delight my friends with my ever-increasing happiness, and edify God’s church with my grateful confessions of praise. I would even love to impress the unbelieving world with the cheerfulness of my daily conversation.’” I’m sure each of us could use a little more laughter in our lives, especially laughter from God!

As Jim Reimann (edtor of this devotion book) says at the end of this devotion: “Our Lord has given us all we need in Jesus, and one of His greatest gifts is deep abiding joy, even during the most difficult of times.”

We all know that laughter is good for the soul and our physical well–being. A familiar phrase we hear is, “A laugh a day keeps the doctor away.” On stress.about.com it shares how “a good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.”

Let’s try more laughter. Job was able to say “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” (Job. 8:21) I should be able to also . . . even though I’m Eeyore at heart!

Above picture is a much younger me with Emma enjoying a good laugh!