GodReflection: Talking with God.
Prior to starting this post, I came across the Genesis 16 account of Hagar, maid of Sarai. The story takes place amid Sarai and Abram’s lack of patience with God as they await his promise—from years ago—to give them a son. So maybe if Abram would have a child with Hagar, Sarai’s servant that might help God out? True to form we human types cause pain and confusion when we become impatient and decide to solve God’s problems for him like we think they should be solved.
This morning I am intrigued with the story. An angel of God finds the pregnant Hagar beside a spring in the desert where she stops to satisfy parched thirst from the arid heat after her escape from Sarai’s abusive jealousy—a jealousy born from Sarai’s grand idea. God calls to Hagar through an angel, and the summery of their conversation is found in these words: she answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, “You’re the God who sees me! “Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!”
The Holy sends Hagar home, but she will be sent away once more as a refugee. Shortly after her return from the desert to the family, God renews his parenthood promise with both Sarai and Abram and sets it in stone with a name change to Abraham and Sarah.
Like you, I hurt with our world to see and hear each day’s news of human suffering in Ukraine. I watch with indescribable emotions the flight of refugee mothers with their precious children and see the numbers grow past three million. Absorbed with the current tragedy I continue the Genesis story.
Finally, I reach chapter twenty-one. Hagar, now with baby Ishmael strapped next to her, one last time escapes the jealousy of Sarah again. Abraham sends her and his newborn son to live out their years as refugees.
Abraham got up early in the morning, took some bread and a flask of water, and gave it to Hagar. He put the boy in her shoulder sling and sent her away. She left and wandered through the desert near Beer-sheba. Finally, the water in the flask ran out, and she put the boy down under one of the desert shrubs (Genesis 21:14-15).
As Ukrainian women with their children walk toward overpacked trains oblivious to the wilderness of their destination, surely their fear, hurt, and anxiety, must equal that of their historical sister Hagar. The supplies in their handbags will soon run out.
Hagar speaks to herself; I can’t bear to see the boy die. She sat at a distance, cried out in grief, and wept (verse 16).
All hope is gone. For the refugees the end arrives. No water. Unbearable thirst. Scorching sun and desert heat. Only death awaits.
God hears the boy’s cries, and an angelic messenger calls to Hagar from heaven and 
said to her, “Hagar! What’s wrong? Don’t be afraid. God has heard the boy’s cries over there. Get up, pick up the boy, and take him by the hand because I will make of him a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well. She went over, filled the water flask, and gave the boy a drink. God remained with the boy; he grew up, lived in the desert (verses17-20).
The same God who knows when any sparrow falls anywhere on our globe—the same God who knows the exact number of hair on each person’s head—the same God who always calls to each one of us by our name—knows the name of each specific refugee. Don’t you know when they call out to him, he in turn answers with their name.
We cannot listen to their side of the conversation. Nor are we aware in detail to his answers. But he must answer with smiles, flasks of water, food, kindness, shelter, and yes, even hope. Can you imagine the countless first-name conversations between refugees and The Holy?
As refugees talk with God, do we too have a role to play? Might be a conversation we can have with God, what do you think?
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection, Is God on A First-Name Basis with Refugees?
God Reflection 