Faithful in the Wilderness: Lessons from Hagar and Ishmael
Title: Scripture: Genesis 21:15–21 This passage in Genesis feels almost like déjà vu for Hagar. Years ago, she had fled into the wilderness as a pregnant woman. Now, she finds herself back there—this time with her teenage son, Ishmael, facing a different kind of distress. The water is gone. The heat is relentless. And hope is slipping. In a moment of despair, Hagar does something both heartbreaking and human: she places her son under a bush and walks away. Not too far, but just far enough. “A bowshot away,” Scripture says. Far enough that she wouldn’t have to watch him suffer, yet close enough that she could still see him. It’s a powerful image of inner conflict—wanting to run away, yet not being able to completely let go. A mother torn between despair and hope. What’s striking is that in her anguish, Hagar seems to have forgotten two very important truths—truths that were right in front of her: The meaning of her son’s name— Ishmael , which means “God hears.” The promise G...