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Daily Devotions

Genesis

Genesis 
Day 
Day 125

"He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps." Psalm 40:2

Text: Genesis 21:1-34

A VOICE FROM HEAVEN

Hagar laid herself down wearily and wept. The despair that she felt was deep and palpable. Tears spoke when her voice could not express all that she had felt! How did Ishmael feel all this while? He was already a young lad and thus knew the circumstances in which he was sent away from his home! How did he feel as he sensed that his mother had abandoned him to die a slow but certain death? Little was said about Ishmael in the Biblical narrative. However the following text indicates that he knew enough about God to cry out to Him in his desperate hour of need.

“And God heard the voice of the lad.
Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven,
and said to her, ‘What ails you, Hagar? Fear not,
for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.
Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand,
for I will make him a great nation.'”

GENESIS 21:17-18

“And God heard the voice of the lad”

The Biblical text did not record what Ishmael said to God. However, he must have offered a desperate plea for help from his heart, even more potent than the words of his mother. Did he pray for his mother besides bringing his own desperate needs to God? How he pleaded before God we may never know, but that prayer was heard!

“The Angel of God called out to Hagar out of heaven…”

What an awesome experience that must have been. This encounter with the Angel of God was different from the first one. This one was just as significant if not more so! Hagar must have felt deeply encouraged that God would speak to her from His home in heaven! His eyes were watching over her and Ishmael. She need not feel that they were abandoned! God was watching over them all this while!

“Fear not! God has heard the voice of the lad…”

Hagar knew just how weak she felt. The voice of the Angel of God strengthened her tremendously. She must not continue to feel sorry for herself. What ailed her indeed? She was not dead yet! Why should she allow fear and despair to affect her so badly?

What did the Angel of God say? Ishmael had cried out to God in prayer? And his prayer was heard, above her own cries for help? Courage and resolve crept into her soul as she dwelt on these comforting words from the Angel of God!

“I will make him a great nation”

What a promise the Angel of God gave to her! He would make Ishmael a great nation! She must live to see that promise fulfilled. She must stay alive. She must fight on. She would return to her son’s side. She must do all she could to succour him! He must live. He will live… as the Angel of God promised!