One of my favourite memories is of the sound of my parents
laughing over breakfast. Waking up in the back bedroom, where I grew up, as a
visiting adult: California sunshine streaming in through the blinds: smelling
the coffee and hearing the laughter. The laughter.
I miss that.
When my sister died of cancer, aged 37, I thought I might
never laugh again. But I had three young children, soon to be four, and they
kept me laughing. Their wonder and excitement as they discovered the beautiful
world God has given us to live in, was infectious; their loving hugs and
cuddles were so comforting; life went on and so did laughter.
No wonder Jesus praised the little children; they reveal the
Kingdom to us.
What makes God laugh, I wonder? In the midst of racial
strife and injustice, of pandemic deaths and uncertainties, of refugee camps
and persecution and gender inequality, how can he find anything to make him
laugh?
I sing, ‘Break my heart for what breaks yours’, but in a
way, surely, I get that. It’s all of the above and more. My prayer today is, ‘Show
my heart what makes yours sing and laugh’.
My thoughts are drawn to the children again. Watching Flick’s
delight in slugs and snails and ladybirds, hearing her laughter as she
discovers details about these creatures. She reveals the Kingdom to all who
have eyes to see.
Today, Lord, give me the heart of a little child.
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