“Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water,” (Genesis 21:19 NIV).
Yesterday we looked at Hagar and how God spoke to her in her deepest time of need. Let’s visit that one more time, because Hagar, like you and me, forgot about her encounter with God.
When Hagar encountered God the first time, she fell on her face and gave God the name El Roi, the God who Sees Me “I have now seen the One who sees me,” she cried. She had heard God. She had seen God. More importantly, God had seen Hagar. God had heard Hagar.
Hagar returned to her mistress, gave birth to a son, and placed him into Abram’s arms. But sixteen years later, God was true to His word, and Sarai gave birth to a son of her own. (God also changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s to Sarah). When Abraham was ninety-nine years old and Sarah ninety, with a womb that was as good as dead, she birthed a bouncing baby boy whom they named Isaac. But rather than diminish Sarah’s angst toward Hagar, the tension between the two boys stoked the fire of jealousy into full blaze.
On the day of Isaac’s weaning party, Sarah demanded that Hagar and her son, Ishmael, be sent away for good. After wandering around in the desert, after their water supply had dried up, after giving up all hope, Hagar placed Ishmael under a tree to die. He cried. She cried. God heard
“What is the matter, Hagar?” the angel said. “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.”
“Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water” (Genesis 21:19).
This verse catches my breath every time. The water was there all the time, but she didn’t see it. Not until God opened her eyes did the life giving drink come into focus.
Sometimes, I feel just like her. Not so much in that I have ever truly been abused, but I have been tossed away, abandoned, and used. And I have run. And God has rescued.
I’m also like Hagar in another way. I forget. God comes to me in my running away. He sees me. He notices me. I know He sees me. I call him El Roi and all is well. But time passes, as sixteen years passed for Hagar, and I forget. I forget what He has done for me, what He has said to me, what He has meant to me. I forget. I close my eyes and wander about thirsty again. I give up. I lay my hopes and dreams under a tree and walk away for them to die.
“What is the matter, Sharon? Do not be afraid; God has heard your crying.” And God woes me back once again. He opens my eyes to the well of living water that has been there all along.
Today, remember. Remember who God is. He will do what He said He will do. He is El Roi, the God who sees me. He is the God who sees you. And that is something we should never forget.
Let’s Pray
Lord, I am so sorry that I have forgotten the many ways you have blessed me, the many times You have rescued me, the many times You have given me moments of Sudden Glory when You’ve made Your presence known. Open my eyes, Lord. Open my eyes to see Your well of goodness right in front of me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
What Do You Think?
Go back and read the story of Hagar in Genesis 21. Zoom in on verse 19 “Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.” The well was there all along. She just didn’t see it. Today, pray that God will open your eyes to His provision and protection in your life.
Hagar, “she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink,” (Genesis 21:19). When I open my eyes to see the well of God’s provision, protection, and persistent pursuit of my heart, it is never for me alone. He then calls me to fill my skin, and give others a drink.
Is there someone He is calling you to refresh today? Leave a comment and let me know.
Want More?
I don’t know about you, but one of the greatest longings of my heart is to experience God’s presence and working in my life on a daily basis. I call that experiencing moments of Sudden Glory that soothe the glory ache in my heart. If you long for more in your relationship with Jesus, then check out my book, A Sudden Glory: God’s Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More. On my website, you can watch videos, download a free chapter, and even tell about your moments of sudden glory. I hope you’ll stop by for a visit.
Comments 12
Thank you…. I never felt Hagar pain until now …. We all have had a Hagar moment … But now thanks to you & Holy Spirit I know what to do …. “I’m taking off my running shoes…”
One of the things I took away from this was also Hagar running away from the turmoil in her life. This spoke to me so much and the path I’m walking at the moment. I am trying to discern whether I am running away or God is calling me away from where I am now. After a difficult year going through divorce and now coping with the aftermath that was left behind for me and my kids, I want to leave and move closer to my family. I have spent so much time in prayer over this and continue to do so. After much prayer, I truly felt that God was calling me to be somewhere else. A close friend commented one day, “Maybe you should just learn to be content in your circumstances and bloom where you are planted.” I’m sure she didn’t intend that to be hurtful, but it underminded me in a huge way. That’s when the doubt started to creep in and make me endlessly question my decisions. Am I doing what’s best for my kids or is this for me? Am I in God’s will? On and on it goes. I am a woman of great faith and know my Father has me in His hand. I have no doubt that He hears me. Every whisper of my heart goes straight to His ear. However, I am standing at a crossroad in my life asking the big question. Am I running or following?
I’ve been abused, abandoned, rejected and I turned away from God because I felt like He allowed it. He turned His face away from His son when His son needed him the most and He turned His face away from me, when I needed Him the most. I blame God for everything that keeps going wrong in my life. I blame Him for allowing me to experience the pain and the hardship that I’m experiencing now. I don’t understand how a loving Father, filled with mercy and compassion can just turn away from His own child, His own creation. I pray that God would forgive me for feeling this way, but honestly I can’t avoid feeling like this. To be rejected by my very own maker is the worst possible thing. I hope that God would open my eyes as He did Hagar’s and that I would see him in a new way. That we would mend this relationship and that I would once again Trust him to be my Father and my keeper. That I would no longer doubt His love for me and that I would experience it in all it’s greatness…
Kavita,
It hurts my heart to hear such pain and anguish in your post. I am praying that you will see God as the loving Father that he is. God is not rejecting you, or turning his face away from you. You are rejecting Him and turning your back to him because you feel that he is the one that has abandoned you and is responsible for all of your pain. He turned his face away from His Son because he cannot look upon sin and all of our sins were upon Jesus, not because he did not love Him.
Do not focus on the pain, hurt, anguish, and abandonment that you feel and that Jesus felt, instead focus on the glorious outcome. Yes, He was abused and crucified but he rose from the dead, Glorious and triumphant, with all power and authority over the devil, sin, and death.
Yes, you are going through something horrible but, Jesus’ torture and death was not meaningless. His sacrifice was so that you can also rise victoriously and triumphant over all that you are going through. God has not turned his back on you or forgotten you, but because you have rejected Him, He cannot help you. Just as Jesus had to suffer before the victory, sometimes we go through things but we know the outcome.
When we go through such terrible things, we need to blame someone (often it is ourselves and God) because we cannot understand why it is happening to us. If the person who has abused you and caused you so much pain is a person who is supposed to love you and cherish you, you will transfer that to God – if he loves me, why would he do this to me. Just like that person. GOD LOVES YOU! He is waiting for you to turn back to Him. To trust Him again. He has not rejected you. He is wanting you to see his love for you, just as He loves his Son. You are worthy of His love. You do deserve to be loved and to accept the love of God and Jesus. Sometimes when pain and suffering is so great it is hard to believe that you can feel anything else. His love is there. It is simply overshadowed by what you are going through.
It is not your fault, you are not to blame. The devil will make you feel that way so that you will not see the truth of who you are to God. Will He forgive you for the feelings that you have toward Him right now? Yes! He knows that you are angry and hurt and confused. And He still loves you! Rebuke the devil and ask God for his forgiveness. He will take away the pain and hurt and show his mercy, kindness, and love. God loves you! Jesus loves you! Although what you are going through seems unbearable, Jesus bore the weight of the whole world upon Himself on the cross and He rose again in victory because of God’s love. You will too. Give Him a chance to show you how much He really loves you. TRUST Him!
I know that it is hard to trust Him and believe that He loves you because someone else that you loved and trusted abused you and your love and trust. God is not man! He cannot Lie! He is not deceitful and hurtful like people. God Is Love! He is infallible. He loves you and wants to heal your pain but you have to give Him a chance.
I am praying for you. Restore your relationship with God. Pray. He has not rejected you and He will hear you. If you don’t know what to pray or how, recite the Lord’s prayer – Our father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever, Amen. And then just talk to Him. Tell him what you feel. Have an open and honest conversation with him. Love Him and trust Him. He loves you.
Thank you for ministering to this sister.
Although this verse does not say that the well was there all the time but she just did not see it until God opened her eyes, that is an interpretation that I had never though of before. I have also had situations where the answer or solution was there all the time but I just had not seen it. Another thought is that God supernaturally supplied the well that was not there before and that he will give us provision in a seemingly impossible situation if we but trust him. Many times I have had supernatural, unexplained (miraculous if you will) provision and protection.
I think that is the wonderful thing about God and the Bible. God and the Bible are not “one size fits all” Some Scriptures are black and white, straight forward, only one interpretation, but others are not. I think this Scripture is one of those. They can have multiple meanings. Someone else may understand it to mean something else.
God and the Scriptures are personal to each of us depending on what we need at the time and he will reveal himself and the meaning and interpretation of the Scriptures on an individual basis according to us and our relationship with him. There have been Scriptures that I have read many times and always thought them to mean one thing, but, God has led me to read it again and revealed a totally different meaning. The same Scripture in a different situation meant something else. Sometimes, we see “the well” we just have to look at it again through God’s revelation. I also believe that is why He is one God with many names. He and the Bible are what you need them to be for you on an individual, personal basis.
Blessings!
I am not worried about today or tomorrow, because the ancient of days knows and sees it all and he is my father
Hi Sharon,
My name is also Sharon. I can relate very much to your devotional today because my husband and I, with 2 other couples, also opened up a CoffeeHouse ministry in Fullerton, CA. Yes, the dress was just as you described. We also had ministry during the week and concerts on the weekends. Groups from Calvary Chapel, Santa Ana with Chuck Smith as pastor came to sing with us. They were all just starting out then- Love Song, Children of the Day, Larry Norman and many others. Many lives were changed including mine, as a leader. I love your devotionals and are passing them along. God bless.
I am not worried about today, God is on the throne!!
I’m not worried about today. God is on His throne!!
Like Hagar u pray that the God Almighty will open my eyes to his love for me &to see his promises fullfilled in my life. i love the Lord trusts him & believe in his word. i read his word but seems i have been at a plateau for the past five years. Everything has come to a standstill am not growing nor backsliding. i pray for a true intermacy with him i feel so empty inside.
Great read and motivation.
I am in a desert and listening to that voice, then I can see the well.
My livelihood has been shattered and years without employment and business……nevertheless Jesus is Lord. In Africa, without a livelihood even your faith in Jesus becomes somehow useless. Only strong faith keeps on going.