Genesis 16:7-8
And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
[8] And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai
Hagar was on the run! Her circumstances had become unbearable and when she could take it no longer, she strapped on her running shoes along with her son and took off as fast as she could go. She had not given any thought on a plan or even the resources to take care of herself or her son. Hagar had allowed her emotions to become a ticket for escape; a bus ride to nowhere. As we read (Genesis 16) we see God’s hand at work in the life of Hagar! There, in her most desperate hour, when she had finally stopped running long enough to collect her thoughts and silence the voices of her emotions, God calls to her. The callings of God have the power to speak right into the midst of our situations, reaching us when and where no one else can! Hallelujah! When Hagar was alone and in utter despair, she found herself in a place called Shur. But the name of this place had great significance because it means; “WALL”. God was showing Hagar that her choices were leading her right into a dead end! Sometimes God has to do that with us to get our attention.
Not only is God calling to her in the midst of her situation and opening her eyes to see the two choices before her, we also see what the result will be if she keeps her present course. She’s headed right into a wall, a dead end in other words, a place where she would not be able to go forward. Often times our circumstances will launch our emotions into a full, all out run not letting up until God allows us to run right into a dead end. This is where HE says enough is enough. In other words, God will allow us to make the decision, holiness or barrenness, but if we don’t make the right decision HE will put up a wall before us to stop us in our tracks. HE won’t let us run for long! God loves us too much to allow us to run in the wrong direction without putting up a road block along the way to change our direction. It’s that loving, (chastening hand of discipline) God inflicts when we seem to have lost our way through emotional decisions. It’s God’s way of leading us and being the Great Shepherd that HE IS!
This revelation can provide such sustenance for our soul in the midst of trouble if we will listen to the voice of God. Hagar was at a cross roads when the Angel of The LORD came to her. There will always be two responses for us when trials or temptations come into our lives; holiness or the waste lands. God wanted Hagar to STOP running, listen and consider…(WHERE ARE YOU GOING?) We must know clearly from where we have left to where we are headed if we are determined to stay on our present course. Christian friend, have you hit a wall in your life? Maybe God has allowed you to come to this place so HE can finally have your ear that you may listen to HIS direction for your life. Will you listen to HIM?
-Bro. Lawrence Longworth
Isaiah 61:1 “the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”
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