God as Laugher. If you have any comments - adebelak@redeemerluth.com [mailto:adebelak@redeemerluth.com]Sometimes a big, uncontrollable bit of laughter cleans the air. It can feel as though
we have just given birth to something that has been lost or forgotten or reserved
for another time. Laughter cracks open our hearts and rips open our guts so that
we are left totally exposed. God as laughter leaves us exposed and open to whatever
may comes next. One writer notes: "This ability to laugh in the midst of our imperfections
in the presence of God is what we call grace." In those moments of great laughter
- the kind that makes us spit a bit or blow snot from our noses - we are a vulnerable
bunch. I think it is also a time when God smiles - no - laughs. We are a strange
lot - humans. We readily go to war - we often want the world to go as we would
have it go or we will have nothing to do with it. Laughter is one way we are reminded
of how funny our great thoughts really may be. I particularly like a footnote I
read - by G.K. Chesterton - "It is the test of a good religion whether you can joke
about it." God as laughter is able to withstand the jokes and the pokes of our humanity.
It is our humanity that goes a bit nuts with joking and laughter. We are the ones
offended - we are offended because we want to be right - we are often offended because
we want to be 'gods' in charge of God. Ha! God as laughter helps us take the first
day of the week as a day that the Lord, God, has made and therefore a day we can
enter with great humor.
O God of love and new life, when we laugh, we cry, when we cry, you comfort us by
helping us smile - laugh - see the hilarity in our brokenness. Blessed are you O
God of a new day that tumbles and rumbles with humor. Amen.
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