Those who weep (Luke 6:21)

Luke 6:21  "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

Once, when I was going through a difficult season, God positioned a special person in my life - someone I could lean on and trust.  Then through the circumstances of life, we were separated.  In the separation, there was great sorrow for me.  It left such a hole in my life, that all I could think is that I wish there had been more time for laughter.  Laughter had not come easy during this difficult time we had encountered together, but there had been enough laughter to know I wanted more!  Lots more!  In fact, I craved more.  So it gives me hope to read that in Jesus' kingdom there will be laughter!  I love that God values laughter!  And I look forward to the day when I get to laugh with this special person again.

What Jesus is promising is that the norm in his kingdom is laughter.  Laughter that is possible because he has made all the broken things right - fixed all the broken stuff that separates and spoils.  Possible because we can let down our guard and expose our best selves - possible because good stuff fills us up and runs over.

But the promise of future laughter can be so hard to hear when sorrow overwhelms us. When we are really suffering, we often just want the present situation fixed - we aren't at a place where we can look ahead to a time when things are joyful.  I think of Job mourning the death of his family members.  At a time like that, being promised laughter some other time, might not cut it.  I doubt it made a very big dent in his sorrow as he initially ached for the people he loved.  But often as we begin to heal from grief, we discover the need and desire for laughter - it helps us let go of the sorrow.  This kind of laughter means we have let go of our burdens if even only for a minute and felt joy.  This kind of laughter shared with another is intimate - it means letting down our guard to reveal the best side of ourselves.

"Your kingdom come - your will be done" might be (loosely and simplistically) translated "bring on the laughter!"  Celebrate the kingdom of God today by laughing!!