Do Not Be Afraid, Hagar

“God’s messenger called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid.  God has heard the boy’s cries over there.”  Gen. 21:17

Again, this is another familiar Old Testament story but if you need a quick refresher, we’re still with Abram and Sarai, whose names the LORD has now changed to Abraham and Sarah.  Sarah has been promised by God that she will bare a son for Abraham, well, that hasn’t happened yet so Sarah takes things into her own hand.  She offers her maid, Hagar to Abraham in hopes that she may have a son by Hagar.  Abraham accepts the offer and Hagar becomes pregnant.  During her pregnancy Hagar begins to show disrespect to Sarah, which causes Sarah to react unfavorably toward Hagar, causing Hagar to run away.  At this time, the LORD reveals to Hagar the name of Ishmael for her son and tells her to return to Sarah.

I can’t even begin to imagine how tense that situation was!  If only Sarah had waited on God, but we find it awfully hard to be patient sometimes.  Sarah did give birth to the son God had promised, but then her focus found Hagar once again.  Sarah had Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away.   Abraham gave her a piece of bread and a flask of water for the journey, but when the water ran out she placed the child under a desert bush and walked away from him.  She did not want to watch him suffer and die from thirst.  As a mother, I can’t fathom her pain.  The scriptures say she sat and wept and cried out in grief.  Based on the scripture above, Ishmael was crying as well.  Nothing pains a mother’s heart like hearing her child cry.

Certainly, Hagar thought this was the end for both of them.  What a terrible way to die, perishing from lack of water or food.  But God had heard their cries and he answered with “don’t be afraid”.  If you read on the next few verses you will see that He also provides a well from which Hagar fills her water flask.

Hagar surely had a questionable life story, but don’t we all?  Just like Hagar, God hears our cries for mercy and He provides us with Living Water.  The well there for Hagar was a symbol, but today we have Christ, our Living Water to restore us.

Do you need God to hear your cries?  Like Hagar, cry out to Him and you too, can hear, “do not be afraid.”

Today’s prayer is from proverbs31.org.

God, thank You for loving me and seeing me right where I am, just like You saw Hagar. Help me to come to You confidently, knowing that You see every detail of my life and that it all matters to You. I can rest in Your loving care for me and trust You for today and tomorrow.

 In Jesus' Name, Amen.