Laugh Out Loud

Besides dancing, the one thing I love most is to simply laugh. It feels great whether I’m watching comedy, fall and laugh at myself or spending time with my children. Whenever meeting someone that may be of interest, one of the things I look for is his ability to make me laugh. There was a time when that wasn’t an easy thing to do. Years ago, while hanging out with my children, clowning around and talking, we discovered that we all have natural roles in each other’s lives. Apparently, I am the resilient one. Showing them how to break down barriers when one door closes and never giving up. My daughter is truly a child of God. Her faith is always strong, willing to offer a listening ear and finding the answers to our problems in scripture. My G-son, well he’s the tech guy. Between their music, my writing and all the equipment we accumulate that can often be a challenge to figure out, he’s our go-to guy. Not that the other two can’t get it, but perhaps due to his generation, my G-son seems to catch on to the technical stuff much quicker than the rest of us. Then there’s my son. I can always count on him to cheer me up when I’m down and lift my spirits by making me laugh. I appreciate my family and what we all bring to the table as a unit. They say that laughter is the best medicine. I don’t know about that! Yes, it feels great but when my son comes around, he has the ability to make me laugh so hard it hurts at times. You know, the king of laugh that you feel in your back or make you cramp up, get dizzy and lightheaded where you feel near to the point of unconsciousness. Ok, so I may be exaggerating a tad bit, but that’s how great he makes me feel whenever we get together. Which brings me to why this devotional stood out to me and I’m sharing it today, enjoy!

(Our Daily Bread Devotional from April 28th, 2023) By Alyson Kieda

Comedian John Branyan said, “We didn’t think up laughter; that wasn’t our idea. That was given to us by [God who] knew we were going to need it to get through life. [Because] He knew we were going to have hardship, He knew we were going to have struggles, He knew . . . stuff was going to happen. . . . Laughter is a gift.”

A quick look at the creatures God made can bring laughter, whether because of their oddities (such as duck-billed platypuses) or antics (such as playful otters). He made mammals that live in the ocean and long-legged birds that can’t fly. God clearly has a sense of humor; and because we’re created in His image, we too have the joy of laughter.

We first see the word laughter in the Bible in the story of Abraham and Sarah. God promised this elderly couple a child: “A son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir” (Genesis 15:4). And God had said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars . . . . So shall your offspring be” (v. 5). When Sarah finally gave birth at ninety, Abraham named their son Isaac, which means “laughter.”

As Sarah exclaimed, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me” (21:6). It amazed her that she could nurse a child at her age! God transformed her skeptical laughter when she’d heard she’d give birth (18:12) into laughter of sheer joy.

Thank God for the gift of laughter!

Reflect: When has laughter been “good medicine”? How can finding humor in your life help even in the most difficult times?

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for giving me the gift of laughter.