Even The Outcast Is Heard

Genesis 21:8-21

I don't blame Sarah for wanting Hagar and Ishmael out of her life. Although her intentions for allowing Abraham to have a child through Hagar were nothing less than ensuring God's plan comes to fruition, Sarah now had a child and she had to think of what was best for her family. Hence her proclamation that neither Hagar nor Ishmael should remain in her household.

This proclamation causes Abraham some sadness. On one hand he probably understands his wife's reasons, but on the other hand Ishmael is also his son and he wants to be sure he can provide for Ishmael in the way a father should. Such is Abraham's dilemma.

God intervenes and says to Abraham that he shouldn't worry because God will take care of the boy and, as promised, God will make a great nation through Ishmael. So, Abraham let's the boy and his mother go, providing them with a little sustenance for their travels.

Hagar takes her son on a journey through the desert as far as the flask of water takes them. Thinking that there's no possibility of her or her son surviving the dessert without water, she looks for a place to put her son out of way of the sun's heat and sits "a bow shot" away. (I have to admit I'm not sure why this reference was made, except that later in the passage we're told Ishmael would grow up to be a great archer.)

It's in that place, where death is imminent and with Hagar's final efforts to at least save her son's life, that she cries out to God. Apparently, so does the boy because it's the boy's cries God hears as God sends a messenger to comfort Hagar. As the rest of the story goes, Hagar is shown a well, and with renewed purpose she takes her son, finds him a wife, and they live happily forever after.

There are times in our life we are in the place Hagar finds herself: alone, at the edge of giving up, no hope for getting out of whatever we're in. In those times we sometimes let the one thing that brings us hope get away from us, just as Hagar hid her son under a bush. And, just as Hagar did, we cry out.

God hears us. Of this I have no doubt. And, if we let God, God will intervene. Hagar was in a place where all she saw was the pain and suffering of her situation and Hagar had to have her eyes opened in order to see the well which sat right in front of her. Before her eyes could be opened, however, she had to accept the words of another, someone who was sent by God to comfort her enough to be in a place where her eyes could be opened.

God sends helpers, messengers, into our lives all the time. Whether we're celebrating with great joy or crying out in deep agony, God finds a way to share our lives with us. It's up to us to let God into our lives so that our eyes will be opened, our flasks refilled, and hope renewed.