BACKGROUND: In Genesis 21, we read about the birth of Isaac, the son promised to Abraham by God Himself. Hagar who was Sarah's maid but who was the mother of Ismael, also a son of Abraham, was seen by Sarah to be laughing "excessively," or in a sarcastic way. So, Sarah ordered that Hagar and her son be sent away, banished, as it were. Eventually, the water they had brought with them was used up, and this is what caused Hagar and Ismael to cry out in despair because they were certain that they would soon die.
(From the Isidro Annotated Old Testament) Gen 21:16-19 It appears that earlier Hagar had become a believer in the true God and God felt her pain and opened her eyes to see a well of water. Although it was the voice of the lad (v. 17) which the Lord heard, yet, God also comforted her in her anguish. It is significant that the Angel of the Lord was the one who called from heaven. In Genesis 16:13, the Angel of the Lord is Jehovah. It is believed by many that this was the Lord Jesus Christ in His pre-incarnate ministry in the Old Testament.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Hagar's situation is one that all of us have found ourselves in. This might occur many more times in our lives during our sojourn here on earth. We are in anguish over a particular situation -- maybe an injustice that we have experienced; maybe the loss of someone or something that was important to us; maybe rejection in one form or another. Whatever the case may be, we are in pain and we find ourselves crying out to God for help. When I find myself in these types of situations where it just looks like there's NO good outcome, I remind myself that God STILL has my back. He STILL sits on the throne and He already knows the way out of this situation that I'm dealing with or living through. All is not hopeless because God is still watching over me, He still cares for me and He will bring me to the other side victorious, bringing glory and honor to Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment