“And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.” Genesis 21:14-17.
I don’t know about you, but when I read Hagar’s story, my heart grieves for her. Her life was profoundly shaped by decisions made for her, not by her. She was not wealthy, not a matriarch, and not even free. She was an Egyptian servant girl in Abraham and Sarah’s home.
I know we can judge the situation with Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar, but let’s consider Hagar’s part of the story. Other people’s desires and decisions controlled her life, and even if she had an opinion, it was likely dismissed because of her social status.
I can only imagine the weight of expectation she must have carried when her handmaiden told her she was expected to conceive a child on her behalf. And, it seems, when she did conceive, she loved him, clung to her baby, and became a really good, loving mother.
Hagar’s story took another turn years later when Ishmael was caught mocking Isaac, the promised child. It was during this juncture of life when she and her son were commanded to leave the only home she had known for years of her life.
Some seasons in our lives feel like we have been sent away from everything familiar. Some people we thought would be in our lives forever are no longer there. Or we find ourselves in a wilderness that we never intended to enter.
This is where we find Hagar and her son Ishmael.
Abraham sent Hagar and his son away with some bread and water; honestly, those two things in a desert environment would not sustain anyone for very long. I can only imagine Hagar’s anguish when the water runs dry, when the food runs out. She finds shade, places Ishmael under a bush, and weeps nearby. Honestly, I would weep too. Then God speaks through His angel. “I have heard the voice of the lad where he is.” Scripture doesn’t record what Ishmael said, but it shows that God hears the cry of despair in the wilderness.
God hears the voice of the broken. He hears the voice of the bruised and discarded.
You may be in a place you never imagined you would be. You may face circumstances you cannot change, carry a burden you cannot explain, or grieve a loss that has left you feeling empty. Perhaps the water has run out, and you have no idea how you will make it through another day.
Your present moment does not limit God’s ability to reach you. God can provide a future beyond the place you feel your story may end. This is not the end for you, or your children, or your family. There is hope today. So if you find yourself in a wilderness place today, don’t give up. Keep trusting God, even when you cannot see the whole picture. Keep praying, even when the words are difficult to find. And keep believing this painful chapter isn’t the only chapter; many more pages are still to be added to your story.
