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March 7 Daily Devotional

Holy Humour

Peter G. Feenstra

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. (Ps. 2:4a)

Bible Reading

Psalm 2

Devotional

Can Christians have a sense of humour? During previous centuries, and also today, there are those who almost make keeping a straight face the mark of a good Christian. After all, what is there to laugh about? If you know your own sin and misery and the corruption of the world, there are not many things you should be smiling about. Life is far too serious. These feelings are not only found among Christians. Jewish rabbinical literature very seldom speaks of laughter, giving the following advice to anyone who had an impulse or urge to laugh: resist it by reading the words of the law. Laughter? Get serious!

There are more than forty references to laughter in the Bible. Holy Scripture uses several words to describe different kinds of laughter. Sometimes people laugh in amusement and at other times they laugh in derision, disbelief or even unbelief. The Bible tells us that God also laughs. In Psalm 2 we read, “He who sits in heaven laughs.” In the Greek translation of this psalm a word is used which denotes a loud and hearty laughter.

Psalm 2 is not the only time Scripture refers to the Lord’s laughter. In Psalm 37:13 David says, “The Lord laughs at the wicked,” and says much the same in Psalm 59. The Bible is filled with many examples of divine irony, paradoxes and humour. What took place at Christ’s birth is a prime example. The Lord bypasses the unfaithful shepherds of Israel, who are leading God’s people astray, and He proclaims the birth of the Chief Shepherd of His flock to lowly shepherds. The child Jesus is placed in a feeding trough, the very place where sheep and other animals would be fed. He is the true food and drink for the shepherds and all who believe in Him. That’s humour at its best!

The Lord’s holy humour is the basis for our laughter. Christians can laugh, not because the circumstances are so funny, but because He who sits in the heavens laughs at all the wicked and selfish plans of man. He invites us to laugh with Him. That could mean having to laugh at ourselves. We take ourselves and our plans far too seriously. Yes, indeed, we need to develop a holy sense of humour!

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