Once upon a time there was a woman named Hagar. She lived in a tent with Abraham and Sarah. One day, Hagar felt very sad and alone. She ran away because she was not feeling well. She went far, far away into the desert. The desert was a hot, dry place with a lot of sand. Hagar felt quite lost there and was very thirsty.
Then Hagar sat by a well and asked himself: “What should I do?” But then something wonderful happened! An angel from God came to Hagar. He kindly asked her, “Hagar, why are you here and where are you going?” Hagar told the angel about her grief and that she had gone away.
The angel listened carefully to her and then said, “Hagar, go back to Abraham and Sarah. Don’t be afraid, because God has a wonderful plan for you and your child.” Hagar was amazed and felt that God was with her.
Then the angel said something beautiful to her: “Your child will be strong and special, and there will be many offspring.” Hagar was so thankful that God had not forgotten her. She called the well “The Well of the Living that Sees Me” because she had felt that God had seen her right there, in the lonely desert.
So Hagar went back with a joyful heart. Even though she was in the desert, she now knew that God was always with her and never left her alone.
Message of history
God always sees us, even when we feel alone. He has a good plan for each of us and lovingly takes care of us.
Bible passage
The story of Hagar and the angel in the wilderness is found in 1. Genesis 16:7-14:
“But the angel of the Lord found them by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant, where do you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am on the run from my mistress Sarai.” Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your lady and humble yourself under her hand.” And the angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants so that they cannot be numbered because of the great multitude.” Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and you will give birth to a son; you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. He will be a man like a wild ass; his hand against all, and the hand of all against him, and he will be defiant of all his brethren. Then she said the name of the Lord who had spoken to her, “You are a God who sees me.” For she said, “Have I not also here looked after him who looked at me?” That is why the fountain is called: Beer-Lachai-Roi; behold, he is between Kadesh and Bered.”
