We continue our daily meditation on Abram and Sarai’s attempt to find direction and a shortcut to the vision God gave Abram. Shortcuts never work and only deepen Abram and Sarai's anguish as Hagar runs away from home, feeling that no one cares for her or Ishmael. In the desert, the Angel of the Lord spoke to Hagar. This Angel was the One watching and listening to all that was happening in Abraham's household. He spoke kindly to her, asking two pertinent questions for all of us to hear and ponder, "Where have you come from, and where are you going?” (v. 8). Here's the text:
The Danger of Shortcuts: Lessons from Abram and Hagar
7The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. 9Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10The angel added, "I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” 11The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. 12He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”13She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:7-13; emphasis added).
Two Questions for Your Soul: Where Have You Come From?
Throughout life, it's helpful to reflect on our past and consider our future. “Where have you come from, and where are you going?” (v.8). Without clear goals, we're likely to end up nowhere. Have you ever felt lost or unsure of which path to take? Did you take a moment to seek God's guidance? He wants to lead us and act as our Good Shepherd on this journey, provided we invite Him to guide us.
Meeting El Roi: When God Becomes Personal
This Angel is no ordinary angel. Most scholars believe this is an appearance of God in human form. The apostle John, in his gospel, reminds us that the Lord Jesus preexisted and took on human form at his birth from the Virgin Mary. He wrote that Jesus was with God in the beginning, that "through Him all things were made, and that without Him nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:2-3). This Angel does not speak for God but speaks as God, saying to Hagar,
I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude (v. 10).
This description of the speaker is not "this is what the Lord says"; instead, the Angel says, "This is what I say!" The speaker is God Himself. Hagar knows Who is speaking to her, for she names the Angel "You are a God of seeing" (El Roi) and calls the well where she encounters the Lord "Well of the Living One who sees me" (v. 13). Hagar is given vision and direction for her future, and she is told to humble herself, submit to her mistress, Sarai, and raise Ishmael in Abram's home. I'm sure her heart was encouraged to learn that she would be a mother to many descendants, too numerous to count (v. 10). The descendants of Hagar today are the Arabic people who intermarried with Esau (Genesis 28:9).
Faith in the Waiting: God Hears Your Cry
The Lord revealed a new understanding to Hagar. She realized that God (YeHoVaH, not Allah) hears her cries of distress. To remind her of this, God told her to name her son Ishmael, meaning "God hears." The Lord observed her life and everything that happened, teaching us an important lesson.
Everyone encounters difficult periods of waiting that challenge our faith. Are you like Abram, feeling exhausted and weary while waiting? Or like Hagar, searching for God's guidance and reassurance? No matter where you are in your faith journey or what challenges you face, God has a next step for you, even if it’s just to keep waiting. He has a plan and direction to lead you from your current position. Remember, He is the God who sees us.
Practical Application: How to Use This in Your Life
1. The "Hagar Audit" (Reflection)
Hagar was asked, "Where have you come from and where are you going?"
Apply it: Grab a journal and answer those two questions literally. Where have you come from (what pain are you running from)? Where are you going (what is your current plan)? Often, simply saying it out loud to God brings the "fog" down.
2. Identify Your "Shortcut"
Abram tried to help God out by using Hagar, which caused the mess.
Apply it: Ask yourself, "Am I trying to force a door open that God hasn't unlocked yet?" If you are in a "waiting room" phase of life, the application is to stop running and wait for the Cloud to move before you do.
3. Practice the Presence of El Roi
Hagar felt invisible until she realized God was watching her.
Apply it: Throughout your day, when you feel overlooked by a boss, a spouse, or a friend, whisper the name "El Roi" (The God who sees me). Remind yourself that your worth isn't tied to being "seen" by people, but by being known by the Creator.
4. The "Go Back" Step
Sometimes God’s direction is hard: He told Hagar to go back and submit.
Apply it: Is there a difficult situation you’ve run away from (a conversation, a responsibility, a debt) that God is prompting you to revisit with a spirit of humility? Strength isn't always in leaving; sometimes it's in returning with God’s grace. Keith Thomas
Continue Your Journey…
To keep up with our daily meditations, consider bookmarking the link below for all our free 3-minute Bible meditations in English: https://www.groupbiblestudy.com/devotionals
The more in-depth study notes on this topic are at the link following: 3. Abraham’s Shortcut