Genesis 21:15-21. 15When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16Then 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. 17And 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. 18Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19Then 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. 20And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
This is the second time God visited Hagar in the desert. Do you remember the first time? Hagar had run away from Abraham and Sarah because Sarah was mistreating her. But this time Hagar and Ishmael have been sent away because Ishmael was mistreating baby Isaac. Even God said that Abraham should send Hagar and Ishmael away because Ishmael did not accept that Isaac was the promised son that would fulfill God’s plan for the world. Ishmael wasn’t just mean to Isaac, he refused to trust God’s plan. So God told Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away.
But that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love and care about Hagar and Ishmael anymore. Back in chapter sixteen God promised that Ishmael would be a great nation too. But here in chapter twenty-one it looks like Ishmael might die. Hagar even says, Let me not look on the death of the child.
Will God let Ishmael die? No, of course not. God will always keep his promises and that means that Ishmael must live. God heard the voice of the boy. The same voice that laughed at the promise of God is now heard by the God of steadfast love and faithfulness. God has made a promise to Hagar and Ishmael, therefore, Ishmael must be saved and he must become a great nation. And so he will.
Because of his great compassion (kindness), God will not only save Hagar and Ishmael by providing a well with fresh water, but God will also stay with Ishmael as he grows into the nation that God promised he would become – And God was with the boy, and he grew up.
Do you think that God is with you as you are growing up?
I sure do. Especially if you have trusted in Jesus to forgive you and make you a child of God. Ishmael was a child of Abraham that God made promises to. You are a child of God, who God has also made promises to. Including the promise to always be with you, no matter what. Just like God was with Ishmael and took care of him, God will always take care of you too. Why? Because god loves you and he is a compassionate and kind God.
And with Jesus in our hearts, we can be compassionate and kind too, just like God and just like Jesus. God gave the very person who was making fun of his plan (Ishmael) water to drink in the hot and dry desert. The Bible tells us that we should treat our enemies this same way.
Romans 12:20. To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.”
Do you know anyone who rejects God or makes fun of you for believing in Jesus? If you don’t, that’s great. But if you do, then why not try to be kind to them and have compassion for them, just like God did for Ishmael?
And remember, being kind to someone doesn’t mean that you agree with them about what they say, do, or believe. Jesus taught us that we can and we must love our enemies. That’s what he did when he died on the cross for us and took away our sins. He gave us “living water” in the desert – his own life that will let us live with God forever.
You: Do you know anyone that doesn’t believe in God or trust in Jesus? How can you be kind to them even though you disagree with them?
You with Jesus: How can knowing that God is always with us in Jesus allows us to be kind and compassionate to everyone?
Prayer: Father, your love for Ishmael is amazing. I know that I have been like Ishmael before, not trusting in you or your plans. Help me to always trust you and to be used by you to give the living water of Jesus to all who are thirsty. Amen.
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