Genesis 21:18-23: a reflection

18Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him with your hand. For I will make him a great nation.” 19God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink. 20God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and as he grew up, he became an archer. 21He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother got a wife for him out of the land of Egypt. 22At that time, Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do. 23Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”

In her distress in the wilderness, when Hagar could see no way to save her son, God opened her eyes to see a well of water that was already there, a picture of how God can open our eyes to provision that is near even when we cannot see it. God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water, the account says; she went, filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink. Hagar was in despair, out of water in the wilderness, unable to see any way to save her child. But the well was there; she simply could not see it in her distress. And God opened her eyes to see the water that was already near, and she was able to draw and drink. The provision was there all along; God opened her eyes to it. This shows how God can open our eyes to provision that is near even when we cannot see it. God can open your eyes to provision that is near even when you cannot see it. In distress we may not see the help that is already near. God opens our eyes to what is there but unseen. The provision may be nearer than your despair lets you see.

Notice Hagar's situation and how God helped her. She was in the wilderness, her water gone, her child near death, in deep despair, unable to see any way forward or any hope of saving her son. Yet the account tells us something striking: God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. The well was there; the provision she desperately needed was already near. But in her distress and despair, she had not seen it. What God did was to open her eyes, so that she saw the water that was there all along, and could draw and drink. This holds a quiet comfort for our own times of distress. When we are in distress, despairing, unable to see any way forward or any provision for our need, it can seem that there is simply no help, no way, nothing. But sometimes, as with Hagar, the provision is nearer than our despair lets us see; the help is there, but our distress blinds us to it. And God is able to open our eyes, to help us see the provision, the help, the way that is already near though we could not see it. This does not promise that a well is always there; but it reminds us that in our distress we may not see what is actually near, and that God can open our eyes to it. We do well, in distress, to trust that God may open our eyes to provision nearer than we can see, and to ask him to do so. In distress, trust that God may open your eyes to provision that is near. The help may be nearer than your despair lets you see. God can open your eyes to what is there but unseen. Ask God to open your eyes to the provision you cannot yet see.

That is worth resting in, for God can open our eyes to provision that is near even when we cannot see it, as he opened Hagar's eyes to the well. In distress we may see no way and no help; but the well was there all along, and God opened Hagar's eyes to see it. The provision may be near. When you are in distress and can see no help, do not assume there is none; the provision may be nearer than your despair lets you see, and God can open your eyes to it. In your distress, trust that God may open your eyes to provision that is near even when you cannot see it, as in her distress in the wilderness, when Hagar could see no way to save her son, God opened her eyes to see a well of water that was already there, and she filled the container and gave the boy a drink; for Hagar was in despair, out of water and unable to see any way to save her child, but the well was there and she simply could not see it in her distress, and God opened her eyes to see the water already near so that she could draw and drink, the provision being there all along and God opening her eyes to it, which holds a quiet comfort for our own times of distress, since when we are despairing and unable to see any way forward or any provision it can seem there is no help or way, but sometimes as with Hagar the provision is nearer than our despair lets us see, the help there but our distress blinding us to it, and God is able to open our eyes to see the provision or way already near though we could not see it, which does not promise a well is always there but reminds us that in distress we may not see what is actually near and that God can open our eyes to it, so that we do well in distress to trust that God may open our eyes to provision nearer than we can see and to ask him to do so.

Lord, in her distress in the wilderness, when Hagar could see no way to save her son, you opened her eyes to see a well of water that was already there, a picture of how you can open my eyes to provision that is near even when I cannot see it. God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water, the account says; she went, filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink. Hagar was in despair, out of water in the wilderness, unable to see any way to save her child. But the well was there; she simply could not see it in her distress. And you opened her eyes to see the water that was already near, and she was able to draw and drink. The provision was there all along; you opened her eyes to it. Show me Hagar's situation and how you helped her. She was in the wilderness, her water gone, her child near death, in deep despair, unable to see any way forward or any hope of saving her son. Yet you did something striking: you opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. The provision she desperately needed was already near. But in her distress and despair, she had not seen it. What you did was to open her eyes, so that she saw the water that was there all along. This holds a quiet comfort for my own times of distress. When I am in distress, despairing, unable to see any way forward or any provision for my need, it can seem that there is simply no help, no way, nothing. But sometimes, as with Hagar, the provision is nearer than my despair lets me see; the help is there, but my distress blinds me to it. And you are able to open my eyes, to help me see the provision, the help, the way that is already near though I could not see it. Take that to my heart. When I am in distress and can see no help, keep me from assuming there is none; help me trust, Lord, that the provision may be nearer than my despair lets me see, and that you can open my eyes to what is there but unseen, and help me ask you to open my eyes to the provision I cannot yet see.