God promised this man that he would have a son, and through his lineage, the savior of the world would come. But the man and his wife were already very old and well past child-bearing years. When the wife heard this promise from God she laughed at the absurdity of it. But soon they accepted that maybe God was telling the truth.
But the man and his wife became impatient with God because they were not getting pregnant. They thought maybe they needed to take matters into their own hands. So the wife devised a plan to "help" God's promise along. She told her husband to take her maid and get her pregnant because she was much younger and still physically able to bear children. Her husband thought this was a good enough idea (lol) so he did. It doesn't seem that they thought to consult with God, the one who gave the promise in the first place, at all about their plan. It didn't occur to them that HE might be able to give them some guidance in all of this. Well, it did not turn out very well. The maid, after becoming pregnant, started to treat the wife with contempt. They kept getting into fights until finally the maid ran away and God had to tell her to go back.
Some time later the man and his wife did conceive a son together just as God promised, even though they were 90 and 100 years old. And about the time this son was weaned and they were about to throw a big party to celebrate, the maid and her son started making fun of them.
The man was very upset because this was causing big problems in his family. So this time he asked God what to do about it. God told the man to do whatever his wife asked because it was through her son, not the maid's, that the savior would come. The wife demanded they get rid of the maid and her son from their house. So the man had to obey, even though he was heart-broken to have to send away his firstborn son. He packed some food and water for them and sent them away into the wilderness.
The poor woman was left with nothing, completely abandoned. A victim of her situation, and her son was also devastated. When their water ran out, the woman gave up hope. She laid her son in the shade of a bush and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. She said to herself, "I do not want to watch my son die." What a sad situation. As she and her son were both sobbing by themselves, thirsty and starving in the desert heat, the angel of God came to her and promised her that she and her son would live, and that she would have many descendants through him. And in that moment, God opened her eyes to see a well full of water. She ran and filled their container and gave her son a drink. And from then on God kept his promise to keep them alive and prosper them.
This is the story of Abraham and Sarah and their son Isaac. But it is also the story of Hagar and her son Ishmael. (From Genesis 15-21) I have always read this story from Sarah's point of view. I thought, she was justified in laughing at God's promise, after all she was 90 year's old and here He was telling her she would get pregnant. Sounds laughable, right? And I thought, she was maybe even justified in coming up with her own plan, considering it was an acceptable custom to bear children through your servants in those days in order to make more heirs for a family. Sounds a little fishy, but maybe not so bad considering the place and time. And by the time I would get to the point in the story where Hagar and Ishmael are making fun of Isaac I would be thinking...'Yeah, banish those meanies! they aren't even really apart of the family!' And when it came time for them to be wandering in the desert and about to die I would glaze over how sad that was and skip ahead to God rescuing them...Yay! Happy Ending. Roll credits. Atleast, that's what I used to think.
But I recently read this story again, since having my own child, my beautiful Viviana. And now I can't help but see things from Hagar's side of the tracks. After all, we have many similarities. We are both young women in our child-bearing years. We both have gone through the life-changing experience of pregnancy and child-birth. We both have felt the immense, unexplainable love for our child. And we both have been wanderer's in our own wilderness, in desperate need of God saving us. It is quite evident that even though God allowed Hagar to find herself in some pretty depressing situations (like many of us also find ourselves in) He still loved her immensely, and was always looking out for her. She may not have been the bearer of His saving lineage, but He still valued her life, and her son's life. They were made in His image, as all humans are. And He did not let them die, alone and starving. In the moment of her greatest suffering, on the verge of the most agonizing pain a mother could bear -witnessing her own precious child die- God showed up. He comforted her, and commanded her to be strong and do the same for her son. He "opened Hagar's eyes, and she saw a well full of water." (Gen. 21:19) I love this picture. The angel of God holding Hagar in His comforting arms, telling her the words she desperately wanted to hear, that her son would live, and in a perfect analogy for us encountering the life-giving water of the gospel of Jesus Christ, He opens her eyes to a well full of water that would quench her insatiable thirst and save her child as well.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
-Revelation 21: 1-7
Jesus also spoke of the "Living water" in John chapter 7;
Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”(When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him.)
-John 7: 37-39
Have you found yourself in a depressing, unfortunate, or seemingly hopeless situation? Have you watched the suffering of others, especially your own loved one's, and felt helpless? Have you ever felt completely alone in your problems?...
Have you accepted the free gift of Living Water from the wellspring of Life Himself, Jesus Christ? He is offering it to you now. He loves you and cares about your life deeply. He offers comfort, even in the midst of utter despair. But most importantly, He offers you forgiveness for your messy past, and your future mistakes and offers Himself, in the Holy Spirit as a guide and comfort in your life. He offers Eternal Life with Him. He offers this to you NOW. Consider this your personal invitation. Will you take a drink?
I couldn't help it, had to include a few shots of Vivi enjoying some refreshing water from her sippy straw ;)
