Just then God opened her eyes. She looked. She saw a well of water.
Gen 21:19 (MSG)
Why is it so hard sometimes to study God’s word? Ever heard that whisper early in the morning just before the sun rises? “Come and meet with me.” You feel this tug at your heart persuading you to go to that place where you meet with God. It begs you to get up, and you stay still. Why? Is it because we feel like we are going to be condemned or reprimanded for all the things we did wrong the day before. Constantly saying, I’m sorry! I not perfect! and I tried! Get’s old. You know what I’ve learned when I feel this way, but obey the tug in my heart. I meet a God who opens my eyes, once again, to see how much He loves me.
A couple of days ago I agreed to the early morning invitation, and was amazed by what God showed me. I was reading in Genesis about the story of Hagar and Ishmael. They were asked to leave the only home they had ever known. Sarah felt that Ishmael, Abraham’s illegitimate son, was a threat to her son’s inheritance. Abraham packs Hagar some food and a skin of water and then sends them away. With no time to plan, a devastated Hagar wanders off with her son into the desert of Beersheba. Suddenly she finds herself with a sick and dying son with no water or food to save him. Exhausted and out of hope she is forced to lay him down under a bush to die. Her mother’s heart couldn’t bare to hear him cry when she could do nothing to save him. All she could do now is walk away. I can imagine her body, curled in a tight ball sobbing uncontrollably. When all of a sudden she hears a voice, “What’s wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, God has heard the boy cry and knows what is going on. Up now, go get your boy. Hold him tight. I’m going to make him a great nation.” With these words, God opened her eyes. She looks up to see a well of water that would restore her son’s life. God promises Hagar that He will be with Ishmael as he grows up. He lived in the desert of Paran and became a skilled archer. At peace, Hagar leaves her son and goes to Egypt.
At first glance this is a very touching story that shows God’s heart. Take a second glance and your eyes will be opened to see God’s plan. Isn’t it interesting, that Hagar and her son leave with only one skin of water? She wanders off and happens to land in the desert of Beersheba, which in Hebrew means “well of seven springs”. God has her wander to a place that happens to have seven wells of water. Surprisingly when she gets there she’s out of water… ha!! God plans every little detail! She sees no hope for her dehydrated son so lays him under a bush to die. She leaves his side because she cannot bare to watch. She cries out and the Angle of the Lord appears and tells her not to be afraid. He opens her eyes to see the answer to her prayers. The well was there the whole time, she just couldn’t see it. God is the only one that can open our eyes to see the solution to our problems in the desert.
God then gives her the peace to leave her son there with Him to grow up. God teaches Ishmael to become an archer in the desert of paren. An Archer was a skilled warrior that used a Bow and Arrow. In the psalms we read that the bow was a sign that God was in action.
God is always in action! This story gives hope to the mother who is begging God to heal her sick child. It also gives peace to the mother who has lost a child. We never know when our eyes will be opened to see the well. He will lead some to the well of healing water and give others the peace to leave their precious little ones with Him. We wander, but He knows where we must go. While our paths may be different, if we will trust, they will all lead to same destination, our Heavenly home.
