Dear church,

God’s promises take time to fulfill. Abraham and Sarah knew this. They were filled with laughter in the waiting – doubting such things could come to be (Genesis 17:17; 18:12). And then they were filled with laughter on that surprising day when an empty womb became full and when a baby was born to them. “God has made laughter for me” (Genesis 21:6). 

The laughter of doubt becomes the laughter of joy. Hoping becomes seeing.

The great lie of the world is these things do not happen. We may look and hope, but the only laughter is the laughter of doubt. But the Christian knows nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37).

Presidents still carry bibles to their inaugurations. For many, these bibles are mere symbols – symbols of nationalism or denominationalism or family or tradition. When the Bible arrives at the inauguration, people find their own meanings for the presence of the book. 

But a Christian should marvel at the sight of it. Perhaps we should laugh in disbelief. Even now, at the center of world power, in an age of reckless untruth, we can find the very words of God and the prayers of men. One of those prayer says, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

Can dead things still be given life? We can pray for our country, that God would spark one more revival springing from the words of that book that holds up the president’s hand. Nothing is impossible with God. Dead things, empty countries, can become alive again. 

Perhaps someday our laughter of doubt will become a laughter of joy over a new thing God has done.

Chris