On Forgetting…

 8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned.

9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, "Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac." 11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham's sight because of his son.

12 But God said to Abraham, "Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed."

14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, "Let me not see the death of the boy." So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

17 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. 18 Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him 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 lad a drink. 20 So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran; and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.—Genesis 21:8-21

It seems from reading this passage that Hagar had forgotten the Lord who appeared to her before.  Earlier, in Genesis 16 we find Hagar, Abraham’s wife, pregnant, alone and helpless in the wilderness by a spring of water after fleeing from Sarai’s harsh treatment.  Here, the Angel of the Lord appears to her and tells her to return and submit herself under the hand of her mistress and assures her of His protection and His plan for her.  Hagar could go back and submit herself under Sarai’s hand because she knew she was really committing herself to God...to the God who saw her affliction and would look after her. 

Hagar speaking...

So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,”for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”—Genesis 16:13 ESV

In Chapter 21 we find her once again in the wilderness weeping. In her fear and misery Hagar forgot the God who looked after her. I can do the same. 

❤️Our forgetfulness of mercy in the past is at the heart of our present hopelessness.—Spurgeon❤️

Beloved…God keeps His promises…God has a plan. It was God who orchestrated the events in Hagar’s life. It was God who sent Hagar and her son away. It was God who took care of them in the desert. 

Father…Forgive my own forgetting!  Forgive my lack of faith and unbelief. Unite my heart to fear Your name!  Today, I commit myself into Your care. Today, I will trust that You will watch over me and take good care of me.