GENESIS 21
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 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 up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 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
GENESIS 21 GOD BLESSES ISHMAEL
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
As Hagar roamed the wilderness with her child, she was worried
They ran out of water supply and she panicked and watched Ishmael
She didn’t want to witness her own child die of hunger and thirst
So, she placed him under one of the bushes and sat nearby.
Hagar wept as she was filled with fear at their predicament
She called for help and pleaded heaven to save her beloved son
Then an angel of the Lord came and said God blesses Ishmael
He will make a great nation for he is also one of Abraham’s offspring.
What a helpless situation it was for Hagar to watch her son Ishmael wilt and die of thirst. She had no idea that God had a plan for Ishmael too even though they were banished in the wilderness by Sarah and Abraham. I feel for Hagar who was given as a surrogate for Sarah to bear children and later be sent away to die in the wilderness.
It is amazing how we can be desperate when we do not know God’s plan for our lives. Had she known the plan, she wouldn’t have been so fearful and helpless.
REFLECTION
- Share a time in your life when you felt so desperate but was blessed by God later.
