There lies a wailing boy, and there 100 miles away, hides a mother too scared to watch her son die on her.
No water…
No food…
No family…
No relations..
Earlier the son’s father had given them some food and a container of water. They had their whole life ahead of them, the desert had soon swallowed them, and Hagar is humming baby songs to her lad as they pitched tents to nibble from Abraham’s reservoir. As her sandals sunk and rose from the dusty path leading to infinity, she kept swaying and singing, in between doing ….dadadadada..making faces to the young Ishmael as he chuckles cheekily in a baby laughter, his face is beaming with life, he is in the hands of his mama; Hagar.
She keeps doing abujubuju to the little champ, his chuckles are now fading. Mama is aware, but then what? “We’re in the desert of Beersheba” she utters under her breath
They have run empty of it all, yet the journey had just started.
Then it all came to a halt, the baby chuckles are now hysterics, that bad fading cry of a child with no energy. She clamps her child on her bosom, she tears uncontrollably but then the baby is rid of strength to hold onto his mama. She lays him under a shrub and drifts away from the sight of her own flesh and blood. “I’m not witnessing what I birthed flying back…”
Unlike her mubaba Abraham who hoped against all hopes and got his son of Promise Isaac, she ain’t a mother of faith; she’s soaked in disillusionment, despair and a dead end.
A shrub away from her emanates farewell cries from her son Ishmael.
Then!
But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.
Genesis 21:17
Earlier when she ran to the wilderness while pregnant, God introduced Himself to her as Jehovah Roi -God who sees
And now, He introduces Himself to Hagar as Jehovah El Shama – God who hears
And then He opens her eyes to see His vast greatness!
His awesome presence!
He was present even in the desert.
Unlimited God..He couldn’t let Ishmael breath his last…
Her eyes are opened to see hope where shrubs,rocks and dust reigned…
Her eyes are opened to see far beyond the desert of Beersheba
Her eyes are opened to see the God of possibility..
Her eyes are opened to see the father who is a sustainer and a source…
Her eyes are opened to see the destiny of her generation, yes her generation.
Her eyes are opened to see abundance waiting yonder…
Her eyes are opened to see God who hears and who restructures the vision of His children.
The Desert of Beersheba spoke scarcity, lack, dryness, unfruitfulness, rejection, death….
But God of the blessed assurance, thunders and assures His Hagar that;
[ ] Even here, I see you
[ ] Even here, I hear you
[ ] Even here I can and behold am opening your eyes to see more of me…
[ ] Even here my blessings abound..
Yes Hagar, Even here I AM..
In fact after opening Hagar’s eyes, the story took a different turn.
Her generation was introduced.
And the desert was dethroned and her oppression came to a halt.
And Jehovah Roi, Jehovah El Shama was glorified.
There’s hope in the Desert of Beersheba
There’s hope, even in our now circumstances.
~Emily Omondi