The Birth of IsaacGenesis 21:1-6 - Read by Allison Langley1 The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Now Sarah said, “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.”​Reflection​When I was a boy, my family did not decorate the Christmas tree until Christmas Eve; in fact, my parents did all the decorating after my sister and I had gone to bed, so Christmas morning was a surprise and joy!  Some things are definitely worth waiting for. In today’s reading we see that Abraham waited 25 years to hear the joyous news that he and Sarah would have a son. Here in this child was the tangible evidence that God’s promise to him to be the “father of a great nation” had begun. Abraham and Sarah not only shared in the joy of God’s promise fulfilled, but also the immediate joy of having a child of their own. With the birth of Isaac, Sarah exclaimed: “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.”  The name, Isaac, in Hebrew means “he laughs” or “will laugh”.In Advent we remember that Jesus will come again to usher in a time of peace, but also joy! In this Advent season, let yourself imagine the laughter and joy that will accompany that happy reunion when Jesus returns in glory.Our King and Savior is drawing near!O come, let us adore him!