The God Who Takes Notice (part two)

We previously learned that the Hebrew word for "cry out" is sa'aq. One commentator stated that sa'aq is the catalyst that brings God to move and intervene in our lives.

I am moved with such respect for God when I read the story of Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis. Abraham had been promised a child by God and when it looked like God was not going to deliver, he, with the urging of his wife, decided to take her Egyptian maid, Hagar, and see if they could build a family with her help. Hagar, of course, conceives.

Sarah, being female after all, begins to despise Hagar and starts to treat her in an abusive way. Hagar flees to the desert and an angel appears to her and instructs her to return home. He promises her that her descendants will be too many to count. Hagar is also told to give the baby the name Ishmael, which means, "God hears," or "Yahweh has been attentive to your humiliation."

Before going home, Hagar gives God a name! She calls him "El Roi," "the God who sees me." There is always some speculation that the angel of the LORD can be a reference to Christ Himself. How comforting for her to finally see the God who sees her!


Sarah had to wait 14 more years until her promised son, Isaac, was born. Coincidentally, Isaac means laughter. I don't know if Sarah or God was laughing at this point...to give a 100 year old man a baby! That aside, can you imagine being Sarah's maidservant for those 14 years? What is that old saying? Something like "hell knows no fury like a woman scorned." I pity Hagar; I truly do.

Well, like 14 year old boys do, they tend to make fun of things. So when Ishmael started mocking the little toddler, Isaac, Sarah's anger came to a head and she threw Hagar out! Can you imagine having to be in Abraham's shoes? In order to have a happy wife, he would never again be able to see his first born son. When we don't do things God's way, there are always consequences!

Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael off to wander the desert of Beersheba. The water ran out and Hagar began to sob. She literally went off by herself because she couldn't bear to watch her son die. Apparently, Ishmael was crying as well, because the next verse says that God heard him. God tells Hagar to not be afraid because he has heard the boy crying. It is as if God is saying, "I heard the boy whose name is 'God hears'."

God graciously provides a well of water and promises to make Ishmael into a great nation. They reside in the Param desert where Hagar later finds an Egyptian wife for her son.

God knew the fix they were in. God heard their cries and was moved to action.

In the final part, we will look at a story concerning the prophet Elijah and how the God who takes notice wants us to take notice, as well.