Genesis 21:14-21

¹⁴ 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 left and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

¹⁵ After the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the shrubs.

¹⁶ Then she went and sat down across from him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not watch the child die.” And as she sat opposite him, she raised her voice and wept.

¹⁷ And 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? Do not be afraid, because God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.

¹⁸ Get up! Lift up the boy, and hold him firmly with your hand, for I will make him into 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 boy a drink.

²⁰ And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert archer.

²¹ He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

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Saving Ishmael

How did this story get back to Abraham? We do not know that it did, but somehow it made its way into the Hebrew tradition, and was recorded by Moses. It speaks of a God who listens to the prayers of those in distress, no matter who they are.

Does God hear the prayers of those outside his covenant community? He saved Ishmael, in spite of his knowledge that Ishmael’s people would become enemies of Isaac’s people. God loves the world. He is under no obligation to save anyone of any nation. But he cares. He wants us to care for people too, not just those who are on our side – but even those who violently oppose us.

LORD, give us your compassion for those who are in trouble.