In response to Sarah's laughter, God asks: “is anything too hard for the Lord?” The term 'hard' communicates the idea of wonder. In other words, her daily grind has robbed her of her awareness of God’s awe and transcendence. When God does provide a child, Sarah laughs again. Robert Alter notes that this text implies that Sarah has the freedom to laugh at herself. She has discovered the joy of God working through the daily grind.