15 When the water in the skin was used up, she left the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, “May I not see the boy die!” And she sat opposite him, and raised her voice and wept.

17 God heard the boy crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

20 And God was with the boy, and he grew; and he lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Genesis 21:15-21 (NASB)

God hears

After Abraham obediently banishes Hagar and Ismael from the family, they run out of supplies in the wilderness and are on the verge of death. Hagar can’t bear to see her son (who is about 18) die. She lays him under a bush, helpless, then goes a ways off to weep. She may be weeping knowing that she contributed to the situation.

It’s interesting that God hears Ishmael crying and responds to that. He spoke to Hagar through the angel. Does this reveal something about God? For sure, he listens to those in need, who cry out for help…and He helps them. But not always do they (we) receive the help.

God opens

God opened the eyes of Hagar. He enabled her to see what she hadn’t seen before – God’s provision for their salvation.

God favors

“God showed special favor to Ishmael because he was a descendant of Abraham.” (enduringword.com) We know from yesterday that Ismael indeed became a great nation of people, the Arabs of today. 

RЯeflection

• “Behold the compassion of a mother for her child expiring with thirst, and remember that such a compassion ought all Christians to feel towards souls that are perishing for lack of Christ, perishing eternally, perishing without hope of salvation.” (Spurgeon)
• Does this passage and this Spurgeon quote challenge you to reach out with the good news? But remember it is indeed good news – how it saves you and gives you eternal hope.