But God...

During a conversation with my 87-year-old Grandma in November, she told me that she started reading her Bible through, front-to-back, once a year...25 years ago.  I knew that this was more than "small talk" coming from her, so I took it as the challenge I think she meant it to be.  My lone New Year's Resolution was to follow her example.

As I read again the familiar story of Abraham and Sarah, I was struck this time by Hagar's story.  In an act of faithlessness, Abram took her to wife, then cast her out into the wilderness.  

Hagar was abandoned.  Alone.  Unloved.  Unprotected. Unprovided for.  Destitute.  Without recourse or vindication.  But as she languished in the wilderness, fearing for her life and the life of her son, she cried out to Yahweh.  And the God who hears...the God who sees (El-Roi)...listened and saw Hagar and took pity on her.  Just as she was about to perish, Yahweh opened her eyes and showed her a well in the wilderness.  The God who provides (Jehovah-Jireh), gave her refreshment and life.  And He blessed her.  

This is the same God of whom Jonah said:

I cried out to the Yahweh in my distress, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, Yahweh, and you heard me!  (Jonah 2:2)

This is the same God of whom David said:

In my distress I called unto Yahweh; from His temple He heard my voice and my cry to Him reached His ears.  (Psalm 18:6)

This is the same God who, in Christ, saw and heard and rescued the poor, the needy, the blind, the lame, the outcast...again and again and again.

This is the same God who still sees.  Who still hears.  And who still has compassion on those who cry out to Him for deliverance.  May He grant us the faith to rest in these truths!