Comings and Goings

"...where have you come from, and where are you going?" Genesis 16:8

Twice today the Lord directed me to Genesis 16.  It's the story of Abram and Sarai, Hagar and Ishmael. Abram and Sarai became impatient waiting for the Lord to fulfill His promise to them of a child and now Sarai's method of childbearing has her maidservant Hagar pregnant by Abram. Despised by Sarai, who only moments before thought this was such a great idea, Hagar is on the run.

The angel of the LORD finds Hagar near a spring in the desert and asks her, "where have you come from, and where are you going?"

I believe it is God Himself who has found Hagar.  He always sees His children on the run.  Remember Jonah?  What about the prodigal son? He had His eye on Elijah running from Jezebel and David running from Saul.  They all had their reasons for fleeing, but God continued seeing.

The question He presented to Hagar, today He is speaking to me.  Joy, where have you come from, and where are you going?

I think of some recent "coming froms".  Coming from a place of fear...battling cancer...a hard obedience...a departure...desperate grief...the loss of my dad.  What's on the immediate path ahead? Release. Health. Peace. Treasured memories. Trust. Uncertainties.

I love what Beth Moore writes regarding Hagar.  The LORD found her near a spring in the desert, and then became her Spring in the desert.  Isn't that thought beautiful.

God always couples a "from" with a "to".  Take a few moments today and ponder where you are coming from and where you are going. Is God in the plan? Is He the One guiding you into your goings?  As He saw Hagar, He sees you and is waiting near the spring in the desert, sitting in a place of hope, ready to take your hand and lead you to your promised land.