I. We dwell on these words especially as teaching THE FATHER'S CARE FOR THE CHILDREN. DO not think of this event as occurring under a dispensation so different from ours that we can find in it no distinct teaching for to-day — very beautiful, but of little worth save for its beauty. These words mean a thousandfold more to us than they could do to Hagar. The Father had not then revealed Himself in the only-begotten Son. The Son of God went away into the wilderness; He shivered in the cold night-blast; He felt the pitiless beating of the storm. And now in all the world there is not one poor child shut out from His sympathy, for He Himself has lived a child of poverty and woe.

II. NOT TO ANGELS NOW IS THIS WORK OF RESCUE GIVEN. It is our high honour and prerogative to be the ministers of the Father's love. Angels may bring the tidings, perhaps, but only that we may obey. Angels shall reveal the means, but only that we may carry the blessing. Hagar must fill the bottle and give the lad to drink; she must lift him up and hold him by the hand.

(M. G. Pearse.)

What aileth thee, Hagar? —

1. First, let me come to you who consider yourself to be a Christian believer.(1) Believer, what aileth thee? You are not so happy as you were when first you gave your heart to God. In China, if a lady were to ask how it is she cannot enjoy a brisk walk, you would reply, "It is because you cramped your feet in tight shoes from childhood and have hindered their growth." Now, believer, faith may be compared to the feet on which a Christian stands; and if you have bound up your faith in the tight shoes of doubt, how can you expect to run and not be weary, or to walk and not faint? Have you not allowed your soul to be thrust in the prison of unbelief? Unshackle your mind from the fetters of that grim tyrant, Unbelief; end as your faith grows, so shall you enjoy the peace you have lost.(2) I go to another and say, Believer, what aileth thee? You reply, "Paul sang praises in the dungeon at midnight; but the least cross worries and frets me. How is it? "Well, I will tell you. My friend, you say you have done no harm; but the reason why little vexations worry you, is that you have not done much good. Let us be tender-hearted, cheerful-looking, and ready-helping Christians; and, like a pleasant flower, let us exhibit beauty of character and exhale perfume of blessings. A young man, up there in the corner, may say, "I want to do great things!" Ah, young Christian, first of all begin to scatter little seeds of kindness. Be more lovable and helpful at home than you have been. On a cold day we long for the sun, because it cheers us; likewise make yourself such a blessing that every member of your home shall long for you to come, because your presence cheers their path and soothes their soul.(3) Now, I go to another, and ask, What aileth thee? You reply, "I have not so much pleasure in prayer as I used to have." Well, the reason is, that you have neglected prayer.(4) Let me pass on to another believer, who, I see, bears the look of anxious care in his face. Friend, what aileth thee? You reply, "I have to pass through much trouble, and I fret, and am in despair." Now, why should you allow worrying care to destroy your peace? Let me tell you a tale to comfort you. Some time ago, a father and his little daughter were travelling in the train to London. After rushing rapidly on for many miles, the train came to a sudden stop. The little child was anxious, and said, "Father, let us jump out!" The father looked out through the window, and seeing the signal ahead indicated that the line was not clear, he replied, "No, my dear; we are quite safe." The child exclaimed, "But, father, what are we stopping here for? I am so afraid! I wish I could get out." The father tried to explain, but the child could understand nothing except that the train stood still, and that she wanted to go on. Now, like that little child, you are perplexed as to certain stoppages of the wheels of the circumstances of your life; but you cannot understand it until later on. After a long time, the train, of which I have told you, went on and slowly passed an overturned engine, which had been thrown off the rails. The father said, "See, my dear, if we had gone on as you wished, we should have run into that train, and have been smashed up." Christian friend, when we reach our mansion in paradise, we shall see that the unpleasant stoppage, which we thought was against us, and that great crash, which prevented us from becoming rich, were directed by a gentle hand, a wise mind, and a loving heart.

2. I intend, now, to go to another class amongst you. I find here a person who makes an outward profession of religion, but who is not a sincere Christian. What aileth thee, professor? You reply, "Well, though I profess to be religious, I am not religious in all things."

3. What aileth thee, backslider? You reply, "The Lord has withdrawn from me." Ah, you judge the Lord as if He were human. I come to another backslider, and ask, "What aileth thee?" You reply, "I cannot return to God; for He must be disgusted with my character." Let me tell you of a man who had a foul disease. He was taken to the hospital in Piccadilly, but his breath was offensive and his body so full of pollution that few could bear to be near him. He was placed in a spare bed; but though he had a disease of such a disgusting nature, the doctor smiled kindly upon him, and did all in his power to heal him. As the gentle surgeon did not turn from that wretched man, so the Lord will receive you, and heal your backsliding.

(W. Birch.)

2. The second thing that ailed Hagar was, that she was powerless to aid him. Not only was the case bad, but she could not make it better. All human resources had now failed. The bottle is as dry as the desert itself, and she has flung it aside in despairing rage. The dry sand rattles in it unmoistened, and the skin is cracking in the heat. Here again I see the sinner's case exactly photographed; all his hopes frustrated, and all his wonderfully clever expedients proving utterly futile. There was a time when he managed to satisfy or stupify his soul with the expedients of formal worship — outward reformation and life alteration. But there comes a time when he gets to the end of all his old resources, and a blessed time it is, although he does not think so.

3. The third thing that ailed Hagar was that she was stupefied with despair. Frantic effort had given place to despairing quiet; and that was a more fatal sign. "If the boy is to die, let him die, and I cannot help it." So she takes the poor, emaciated lad and casts him down in the sand, saying, "Let him have the little benefit that the shadow of a shrub can give, and I will go and sit with my back towards him, for I cannot see him die." She is so stupefied with her sorrow — so utterly benumbed by it, that she could not even pray. Is this thy case? Has frantic effort with thee given place to the quietude of despair? Art thou now found saying, "There is no hope for me, I am the man with the unclean spirit in me. Better I never can be. Saved I never shall be. It may be said of many a sinner who thinks he is dumb with despair, "God has heard the crying of thy soul." Your lips could not pray, but, unconsciously to yourself, your heart did.

4. Now, we observe here, that sad as was the case of Hagar, yet there were many favourable signs about her, using her as an illustration of the sinner; and the first favourable thing I notice is that all indifference was gone. If there ever had been any it was clean gone to the winds now. Indifference! Why Hagar was ready to die for the salvation of her boy. Art thou like Hagar? Is thine indifference broken through? It is a grand moment when a man finds out he has a soul. And the next hopeful thing I observe in Hagar was — she was completely humbled. What a difference between that broken-hearted woman sitting under the shrub, and the jaunty maid of Sarah. Who would recognize in her the one that used to be so pert and quick with her answers, and who gaily laughed at her mistress? Sinner, is that the case with you? There was a time when you had plenty of excuses to offer about yourself. And then we notice that a third favourable sign was — she had come to the end of her own resources. When Hagar came to the end of the bottle, she was very near finding the well; and he who comes to the end of his own expedients is very near finding out God's grand plan of salvation.

II. HAGAR AILED A GREAT DEAL MORE THAN SHE NEED HAVE DONE. She need not have been so miserable after all. And the first reason why she need not have ailed so much is this: Her son was not appointed to death, he was appointed to life. God had said to Abraham, "I will make of him a great nation." When a broken-hearted sinner says, "My poor soul is appointed unto death," we say to ourselves, "He is mistaken; God has not appointed his soul unto death, but unto life." She ailed more than she need have done, for the very thing that she wanted was already prepared. "What aileth thee, Hagar?" She answers, "Want of water." Why, Hagar, there it is. And oh, blessed truth, dear anxious soul, everything you want is already prepared. Do you want an atonement? The atonement was made eighteen hundred and seventy-two years ago. Do you feel you need cleansing? There is the blood already shed. Do you need forgiveness? There are with our God plenteous pardons. And observe next, the water for which her son was dying was within — what distance? Why, within a bow-shot of her — nearer than that, for I am inclined to think that the well was just between Ishmael and Hagar, and that was the reason she did not see it. Oh, friend, Christ is nearer to thee than the well was to Hagar.

III. I conclude by showing you HOW HAGAR LOST ALL HER AILMENTS.

1. She lost them I think, first, through prayer. "I have heard the cry of the lad." These are the sighings of a soul that God can understand, and He saith to thee, poor, despairing sinner, to-night, though you say you cannot pray, "I have heard the praying of thy soul."

2. And then notice, He opened her eyes to see what was already provided. He did not strengthen Hagar to do anything fresh, He only opened her eyes to see what was already done. And that is just how God deals with souls now. He does not ask the sinner to do anything further, but simply says, "Look this way." At the command the sinner's eyes are turned into the right direction, and the soul says what in all probability Hagar said, "Why, there it is! — there is what I want — there is the well — there is the water." Yes, there it is; and oh, why did not the sinner see it before?

3. And then, lastly, God used her pitcher. The very thing that had been no use came in very handy now. While she trusted to the pitcher it was a worthless thing, but the moment she made it subservient to the well it became valuable. It was useful as a means. Do not trust in the sermon, or you will be like Hagar, trusting to her bottle. Do not rest on the service; you will be as bitterly disappointed as she was when that bottle, all dried and cracked and sandy, lay at her feet. But, oh — may God open thine eyes to see the well, and may He make the words of tonight the pitcher to carry the water to thy dying soul! God grant it for Christ's sake! — Amen.

(A. G. Brown.)

(S. W. W.)

     4140   angel of the Lord
     5196   voice
     5480   protection
     9412   heaven, worship and service

Genesis 21:14-19

     4293   water

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