Watchmen of the Wall

A Nurturing Parent

Scripture Reading: Genesis 21:1-21

“God heard the voice of the lad, and the angel of God called unto Hagar out of heaven and said unto her, ‘What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, Lift up the lad and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation’ ” (Genesis 21:17-18).

This story so tenders my heart, I can hardly read it. Long before Christ drew a woman to a well, God drew a well to a woman. God’s heart broke at the sight of this mother and son confronting the frightening prospect of death. The mother’s heart was so broken that she distanced herself from her only child because she was afraid he would die before she did—a mother’s biggest fear.
The boy must have been very weak; his mother “put” him under a bush, and he made no attempt to follow her. Probably, she positioned him carefully under a thorn bush to keep the wild animals from preying on his dying body. Then the mother began to sob. Doubtless her wails were heard by the boy “nearby,” because Scripture records that he remained under the bush and cried as well. Then God unleashed His loving kindness. He refreshed and restored both mother and child; in the place of an absent father, God vowed to abide with the boy as he grew.

As we reflect on the encounter between God and Hagar, it seems we witness not only the compassion and sympathy of God, but also the empathy of God. He could relate to her pain and need, so He responded to Hagar as a loving God and as a fellow parent.

Might this have been the response of a Father who knew one day He also would face the intense pain of separation? Did God anticipate the torment of watching His only Son suffer…the agony of knowing He’d turn His back on His child as He died? This was a Father who proudly proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17)! He was also a Father about whom Christ would say, “for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24) and moments later cry, “Abba, Father…Take away this cup from me” (Mark 14:36) and hours later, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46).

Surely the physical pain paled in comparison to the agony of two broken hearts. As I consider it, I am again overwhelmed at my unworthiness for such a cost. No, I do not believe the Father simply responded to Hagar as God, although that would have been enough. He responded as a divine parent with the power to intervene. Too tender was His heart to stand by passively.
God knows the intense pain of intense love. If you are a parent, you have already experienced fear, vulnerability, and pain. And the Father hasn’t missed one second of your parenthood. If you have a child who is rejected by his peers, God knows how you feel. If you have a child who is not beautiful to look upon, He knows how you feel (see Isa. 53). If you have a child who has been betrayed by her friends, He knows how you feel. If you have a child who has begged you to fix something you could not fix, He knows how you feel. If you have a child who is suffering, He knows how you feel. If you have a child who is dying, He knows how you feel. If you’ve buried a child, He knows how you feel. He’s been there, too. However, there is one big difference. He could have changed every bit of it. But He didn’t. For you and me.

If you’re a hurting parent right now, allow God to open your eyes as He did Hagar’s so long ago. Let Him refresh you at the well of Living Water. Like Hagar, your child may be totally restored to you. Or, like the trusting, but brokenhearted mother named Mary, you may have to let your child go. God loved no mother on earth more than the one He chose for His Son. Yet she was unable to hold Him in her grasp for as long as she wished. You who are richly loved, do not give up. Once you’ve had a true glimpse of God’s tender heart, you will begin to understand that if the Savior says “no” to a crying parent, it is because He’s saying “yes” to eternal kingdom profit.

My Father, I praise You for being the nurturing parent that You are. You are not unmoved by the suffering of Your children. Thank You for your compassion and tenderness. Please refresh me at the well of Living Water. Help me to have peace and to understand Your heart when I don’t understand Your ways. In the Savior’s name, Amen.

Adapted from Living Beyond Yourself, by Beth Moore