Title: God Answers Even Small Moans
God Answers Even Small Moans (Genesis 21:8-21)
< Hagar's hat with a strange story >
The text tells the story of Abraham's concubine Hagar and his son Ishmael being driven out of their home. If you look at this incident with Sarah and Isaac as the center, it may seem insignificant, but from the point of view of Hagar and Ishmael, it is a really strange story.
Hagar was an Egyptian girl who had been sold as Sarah's maid. Although she was a servant, she was loved by the hostess, Sarah, because she was beautiful and kind. At that time, Sarah had no son, and Hagar felt sorry for the mistress's situation. Then one day, Sarah asked Hagar, “Give me your husband’s baby for you!” With a pure heart, Hagar complied with the hostess' request and finally conceived a child.
From then on, Hagar had forgotten her identity. As in the past, she did not look up to Sarah, the hostess, and even pretended to be the hostess. Sarah felt betrayed and abused Hagar. Hagar couldn't bear it and fled into the wilderness, but after hearing God's words of counsel, comfort, and blessing, she repented and returned to Sarah. And their son was Ishmael.
Ishmael grew up well. Although Sarah was the child of a slave girl, there was a high possibility that Ishmael would inherit Abraham's inheritance because Sarah had no children and Sarah's hard water had already ceased. He also received a lot of love from Abraham as he grew up. But miraculously, Sarah gave birth to Isaac at the age of 90. Gradually, Ishmael was hurt when he saw that the love he had possessed was concentrated on Isaac.
Some time later, on the day Isaac was weaned, Abraham had a great feast. Then Sarah saw a 14-year-old boy, Ishmael, teasing Isaac, who had just weaned. Sarah got angry and told Abraham to get Hagar and Ishmael out of the house. At first glance, I have more sympathy for Hagar's hat than for Sarah's, just looking at this scene. But all of that was an event that was accomplished by the providence of God.
When Abraham was deeply troubled by this, God gave Abraham a message of blessing that Ishmael would also become a nation and let him go (Genesis 21:12-13). Hearing these words, Abraham sends Hagar's hat away. Hagar ran out of water and died while wandering in the fields of Beersheba. At that time, I was weeping, and hearing God's words of comfort and blessing, my eyes were opened and I began to search for springs of water and live. God and Ishmael became an archer in the wilderness.
<Only look to the Lord>
Why would God allow poor Hagar Hat to be driven out of the house? Without Ishmael, Abraham's family will never cease to be in turmoil due to women's jealousy. Because Ishmael also had another plan.
In fact, it was very difficult for Abraham to get Ishmael out of his home. Although he was the son of a concubine, he was also his son. Also, up to that point, they must have lived together for 14 years and raised a lot. But how did they dare to let Ishmael go? It was because he believed in the word of God that He would make Ishmael a nation.
At first, when they were driven out of Abraham's house, Hagar's mother and son must have resented their marvelous lives. And I wandered through Beersheba, filled with injustice, anger, and sadness. And they ran out of water to drink, and now they died in the wilderness. In particular, because she could not see the young Ishmael dying, Hagar went a little farther away and wept aloud so as not to shed tears in front of her son.
Ishmael also groaned in pain from exhaustion and thirst, and then collapsed. Then God heard the groan. What kind of prayer would Ishmael, who was only 14-15 years old, pray? They only moaned in pain, but God heard them too. In the end, God gave the answer that he would make a great nation through him (verses 17-18).
Watching this scene, we realize once again that prayer does not have to be a clever prayer in clear language. Prayer is not done with words, but with a sincere and pure heart. If you pray earnestly with your heart, God will accept your prayers even if you don't have a lot of rhetoric and can't pray as a human being. Some people are good at praying and they hear people say that they are good at praying, but God does not accept such prayers any more. If it is a sincere prayer, God accepts even the slightest groan.
There are lyrics like this in the gospel hymn “Only Look to the Lord.” “Those who long for God’s love/ Those who look to God’s peace/ How much our Lord, who created all of you, loves you// Those who praise and worship God/ Those who resemble God’s goodness/ All of you Our Lord who created things/ made you a child// God always looks upon you with the eyes of God’s love/ God’s loving ears are always attentive to you/ He shines a bright light in the darkness/ He answers your small groans/ You Wherever you are, turn to the Lord. I will only look to you.”
The most moving part of this hymn is the part that says, “You answer even your small groan.” God knows our pain, and He knows our earnest prayer requests. Sometimes it is so painful that we cannot express our prayers properly in human words, we cannot make a loud noise, we only sigh and groan, but God is a God who answers even those small groans. Sometimes, you don't even have the strength to pray, so if you go to church and cry on your knees, God will answer your cries.
Now, don't be too hard on yourself in the tough realities. No matter what happens, never give up on your precious dreams and visions. Don't feel too lonely. God is with you. God is a God of love who responds to even small groans. Be sure of the love of God, always look to the Lord, and finally win.