by Tammy Phillips
July 28, 2021
“A time to weep, and a time to laugh…” (Ecclesiastes 3:4 NKJV)
Aren’t you glad that the word of God says there is “a time to laugh?” Leviticus 23 describes seven different feasts/festivals throughout the Jewish year. These were sacred, Holy Days of remembrance and celebration. Jewish festivals were time of rejoicing, yet they were serious, too. I would describe them as more of a serious time of joy. When we think on a celebration, festival, or party, we think of laughter and dancing, but these were more serious times of remembering what God had done. However, one of the feasts, Purim was established as a feast to commemorate the victory of Esther and Mordechai over Haman who plotted to wipe out the Jews of Shushan, Persia. Purim was/is a time of extreme joy and laughter, celebrating victory over the enemy.
I know God laughs. His word says He does. I recently told my friends that I know that I give God a run for his money. I know He ever laughs at me. Do you know the only times the Bible speaks of the LORD laughing?
The three times the Bible mentions the Lord laughing are when He laughs at His enemies. I love it. If we are to follow the example of our Father, we are to laugh in the face of our enemies. Not only did God laugh at them. He held them in derision. Derision is not a word I frequently throw around. Actually, I had no clue what it meant and had to look it up. It means to mock, make fun of, laugh at in contempt and to speak unintelligibly. Yes, the word shows us that the Lord literally made a laughingstock of His enemies.
“He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.” (Psalm 2:4 NKJV)
“The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.” (Psalm 37:13 NKJV)
“But You, O LORD, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision.” (Psalm 59:8 NKJV)
Jesus defeated His enemy and ours, Satan, and all that he is, on the cross and provided us with salvation and deliverance. In fact, the Lord made a public spectacle of them. “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:14-15 NKJV)
The word of God tells us to do the same:
“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials,” (James 1:2 NKJV)
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NKJV)
“Rejoice always,” (1 Thessalonians 5:16 NKJV)
If we are to rejoice always that means in the face of our enemies. In Him, we can laugh at sickness, disease, covid, cancer, lack, loss, fear, shame, guilt any obstacle that dares cross our path. Can you hear Father God laughing back at Abraham and Sarah? They laughed in His face when He told them that they would bear a child at the age of 100 and 90. Although the Bible doesn’t say this, I know in my heart that the Lord chuckled when He responded, “Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Genesis 18:14 NKJV)
When we believe the word of God for our life, we should be laughing in derision at our troubles. Hannah was a great example of this. She was childless, too, and desperately longed for a child. In 1 Samuel, she poured her heart out to the Lord and petitioned Him for a son. Her adversary had made fun of her because of her empty womb. The Lord granted Hannah’s prayer in the child of Samson. Afterwards, “Hannah prayed and said: ‘My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the LORD, For [there is] none besides You, Nor [is there] any rock like our God.’” (1 Samuel 2:1-2 NKJV)
When faced with impossibilities, we can either despair, get depressed, distressed, discouraged, and disappear in defeat, OR we can boldly, courageously, resolutely stand in the face of our enemies, and laugh out loud.
I enCOURAGE YOU to laugh, chuckle and snicker. Laugh at the mountain before you. Laugh at the trial you ARE going through. Mock at the mayhem in this world, and in your world! In the middle of all the chaos…crack up! Knock out your opponent with a little giggle. Sing lalala in the presence of your adversary. Live amazed by our Father and always laugh in Him.
“Now thanks [be] to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” (2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)
Complete in Him 