Where Have You Come From and Where Are You Going?

7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. 8 The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
Genesis 16:7-8

First of all, am I the only one who thinks that Genesis 16 reads like a soap opera? Reading it in the Voice Bible version makes it a little more dramatic also, check it out: Act 1 Scene 16, the Birth of Ishmael: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+16&version=VOICE

As I was reading through Genesis 16, I was immediately reminded of how I have given birth to “Ishmaels” in my life when I try to do God’s job for him; because I feel I know better, or He is moving to slow.

I find verses 7 and 8, so typical of God, He allows me to mess up and when He comes to my rescue, He asks me a question to give me a chance to evaluate the choices I have made and repent.

The word Shur means wall. So, when the angel of the Lord found Hagar out in the wilderness, she was about to run head on into a wall. And the question he asked her, “where have you come from and where are you going?” He knew the answer to the question. The question was for Hagar to stop and evaluate the choices she had made, why she was running, and what will she do next. It was her turning point, will she listen to the voice of God or continue on the path to the wall?

In my life journey, I have found myself heading to or at a wall. Some of the times, I ended up there by choices I have made, (not being a good steward over my finances, relationships I knew were wrong for me, bad attitude, pride, etc) or because of a crisis or circumstances beyond my control (my ex-husband walking out on me and our two children).

Regardless of how I got to the wall, I now had to ask myself; “Where have you come from and where are you going?” I had to allow God, to show me areas in my life I needed healing from so I would not end up in that place again. Seek His wisdom to make better choices and decision about my finances and how to raise my children. Like Hagar had to return to her mistress, I had to return to God and submit to His authority.

And like Hagar too, I have learned that even when I give birth to “Ishmaels,” God hears me, He is my El-Roi, the God who sees me and can turn my mess into a blessing.

I believe David sums it up best in Psalm 139:7-12 NLT

I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.

Praise God for His faithfulness and steadfast love!

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