“He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water.” -Psalm 107:35
We’ve all heard the expression, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.” But what about the expression, “Finding love in unlikely places?” Although, now that I think about it – is that even a saying? I’m pretty sure it is…right?! At any rate, that’s the title of this mini-series on love. Because when you think about it, the Bible is full of examples of God’s love showing up in the most unexpected places…
Let’s start with a devastated and desperate woman in Genesis. Hagar was the servant of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, who became entangled in their sin of unbelief. Although God had promised to make Abraham the father of many nations with descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, over time, this couple doubted God’s intention to make good on His promise. As humans often do, they decided to take matters into their own hands, foolishly believing they could help God.
“And Sarai said to Abram, ‘Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.’” (Genesis 16:2)
The result? Hagar became pregnant by Abraham. As often goes in such triangles, pride and jealousy ensued. After she conceived, Hagar looked with contempt upon Sarah. Unsurprisingly, Sarah despised Hagar and treated her harshly, leading the young woman to flee to the wilderness. It was in this desert wilderness that God first demonstrated His grace toward Hagar.
“The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.” (Genesis 16:7)
Note that the angel found her. He intentionally sought her out to encourage and instruct her. The angel told Hagar to return to Sarah and to submit to her. But then he gave her a glorious promise: the son she was to bear, Ishmael, would become the father of a great nation.
Just as the spring relieved those parched in the desert, the words of the angel quenched her distressed soul. Hagar rejoiced and called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “the God of seeing.”
And so, Hagar returned to her masters and raised Ishmael. When Ishmael was 14 years old, Sarah bore a son to Abraham, the son of promise, Isaac.
We pick up the story in Genesis 21 at the celebration of Issac’s weaning. During this feast, Sarah witnessed Ishmael laughing in mockery at Isaac. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac,” (Genesis 21:10). Although this grieved Abraham, he did what Sarah asked (after being reassured by God that He would make Ishamel into a great nation).
“So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.” (Genesis 21:14)
Can you imagine the emotional devastation of this scene? As a woman, I cannot imagine the horror of being cast out of a family with my son. Nor can I fathom the agony of a father and son forever parting from one another.
And so, we find Hagar was once again in the wilderness. When the water ran out she placed Ishmael a bowshot distance away from her because she could not bear to look upon his death. As any mother would do, she lifted up her voice and wept. But God heard the voice of the boy.
Just when all seemed hopeless, the angel of the Lord called from heaven and stated that God had heard their cries. He again promised that Ishmael would become a great nation.
“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. And God was with the boy, and he grew up.” (Genesis 21:19-20a)
Not once, but twice, God met this Egyptian servant in the wilderness. In dry and desolate places- physically, emotionally, and spiritually- the Lord revealed Himself to her as the God who sees and provides. Though she was cast out by her earthly masters she was loved and cared for by her Heavenly Father.
And to think, this is the God we serve! The God who faithfully keeps His promises, who hears and sees us in our distress. In what can feel like a wasteland, God demonstrates His compassion and unrelenting kindness to His people. To us. He will not refuse us when we cry out to Him. Rather, He will meet us where we are and open our eyes to the water that only He can provide.
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