I heard a great talk last night. It was about being blinded by our circumstances and not seeing God’s provision in the middle of it. Being so focused on the difficulties we’re facing that our tunnel vision prevents us from seeing what God is doing in the middle of it.
The story of Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 21:1-21 illustrates this so well. To oversimplify the story, Hagar and her son Ishmael were asked to leave their home (check out the full story) and were forced into the desert. After running out of water, Hagar drags her sixteen year old, parched and dehydrated son under a bush from some shade and then walks far enough away that she doesn’t have to watch him die. She has lost all hope. She has forgotten the promise that God has made that her son will become a great nation. All she can see and feel is her circumstances, which are not compatible with life. How could her son possibly become a great nation if he’s dead?
And so Hagar sits in the middle of that desert and cries her eyes out. As a mother, I would imagine that they would be “vomit type” tears – her heart breaking that she can’t help her son. She is feeling completely alone as she hears her son crying from thirst, hunger and fatigue in the distance.
And then it happens. An angel’s voice from heaven. “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” God’s reminder that He is there, He is aware and He has every intention of keeping His promise. These circumstances will not get in His way. Interestingly enough, Ishmael’s name means “God hears”. Nice.
The story tells us that after this message comes to Hagar, God opens her eyes and she sees that right there in the middle of the desert is a well. A well!!!! Throughout the bible, God uses the image of a well to represent life and provision, and there in the middle of Hagar’s ugly circumstance was the most unlikely and up to this point unnoticed answer to her dilemma. Water that offered life and hope. Water that reminded her that the promise was still available. Water in the middle of a desert experience. Nice.
Stuff happens. Sometimes to us. Sometimes because of us. Sometimes it’s our doing and other times it’s beyond our control. Circumstances and situations and relationships can be difficult, painful and overwhelming. Like Hagar, we might feel like we’re in a desert, alone and hopeless. Life isn’t going like we thought it would. And our vision become blurry from the tears. Our focus becomes misdirected. We forget the promise of God, that He will never leave us or forsake us. We forget that He hears our cries. We lose sight of the One who is at work behind the scenes.
And then something finally gets our attention. An angel’s voice from heaven that comes through another person, something we read, or an inner peace that doesn’t make sense. And we sense God saying, “I’m right here. I hear you. I haven’t forgotten My promise. I haven’t left you alone.” And little by little our eyes start to clear and we see it. Our “well”. Those little things that God has provided that have been there all along in our desert experience. A good friend. God’s word. A much needed hug. A listening ear. Resources of help and comfort. And suddenly we find the strength to drink it in and continue with our desert journey.
Drink deeply. Know that you are heard and madly loved today. Hold tight to the promise and the Hand that walks this journey with you…
