GOD HAS HEARD / GENESIS 21:17

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Genesis 21:17

And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to 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.

God Had Heard: Finding Hope in the Wilderness of Rejection

There are seasons in life when we find ourselves cast out into a spiritual or emotional wilderness, facing circumstances we did not choose. In Genesis 21, we see Hagar and Ishmael navigating exactly this type of painful reality. Desperate, exhausted, and running out of water in the desert of Beersheba, Hagar placed her son under a bush and walked away, unable to bear watching him die. It is a scene of profound grief and apparent abandonment.

Yet, it is precisely in this low point that we encounter a beautiful truth: God had heard.

The Comfort of a Present God

While it may have seemed that Hagar and Ishmael were completely forgotten, God was intimately aware of their situation. Genesis 21:17 records that “God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.'”

Though a difficult transition was necessary for Abraham’s household, God did not abandon Hagar and Ishmael to the elements. He continued to be with them, sustaining them in the wilderness. This reminds us that when doors close or relationships shift, God’s presence remains a constant anchor. He does not stop caring for us just because our setting has changed.

A Promise in the Desert

God did not merely offer temporary relief; He spoke a grand vision over Ishmael’s future. In Genesis 21:18, He commanded Hagar to “Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” This promise echoed the covenant language given to Isaac, proving that Ishmael was still deeply valued and part of a broader divine plan.

Often, we view our “wilderness moments” as the end of our story. But for Hagar and Ishmael, it was the birthplace of a new legacy. God opened Hagar’s eyes to see a well of water, providing the exact sustenance they needed to live, grow, and step into that promise. If you find yourself in a wilderness today, take heart. The God who hears the cries of the suffering is already preparing a well to sustain you and a plan to prosper you.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that You are a God who hears our cries, even when we feel completely isolated and forgotten in the wilderness. Forgive us for the times we allow fear to blind us to Your presence. We ask that You open our eyes to see the provisions You have already placed along our path. Give us the strength to lift up our heads, trust Your promises, and walk confidently into the future You have mapped out for us. We rest in the assurance that You are with us, caring for us, and working all things together for good.

In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

• NIV Bible
• King James Bible
• www. biblegateway.com
• www.biblestudytools.com
• Map Pencils
• College Ruled Spiral Notebook
• Ballpoint Pens
• Some links may be affiliated. By purchasing an item from an affiliate link, I receive a small commission – but you are not charged more or less by clicking or purchasing through the link. Thank you for supporting me!

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. HIS SON ISAAC WAS BORN / GENESIS 21:5
2. SAID OF HIS WIFE SARAH SHE IS MY SISTER / GENESIS 20:1-2
3. THEY GOT THEIR FATHER TO DRINK WINE / GENESIS 19:33
4. SMOKE FROM A FURNACE / GENESIS 19:28
5. LOT’S WIFE LOOKED BACK, AND SHE BECAME A PILLAR OF SALET / GENESIS 19:26
6. I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS / GENESIS 19:8
7. HOSPITALITY JUSTICE AND THE HARD TRUTHS / GENESIS 19:5
8. LOT WAS SITTING IN THE GATEWAY / GENESIS 19:1-2
9. ABRAHAM REMAINED STANDING BEFORE THE LORD / GENESIS 18:22
10. THEIR SIN IS SO GRIEVOUS / GENESIS 18:20-21
11. HE WILL DIRECT HIS CHILDREN … KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD / GENESIS 18:19
12. IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD? / GENESIS 18:13-14
13. THREE MEN / GENESIS 18:2
14. LAUGHED / GENESIS 17:17
15. SARAH /GENESIS 17:15
16. THE SIGN AND THE SEAL / GENESIS 7:11
17. EVERLASTING POSSESSION / GENESIS 17:8
18. TO BE YOUR GOD / GENESIS 17:6-7
19. ABRAM … ABRAHAM / GENESIS 17:5
20. MY COVENANT / GENESIS 17:2
21. NINETY-NINE YEARS OLD / GENESIS 17:1
22. AGAINST EVERYONE / GENESIS 16:12
23. ISHMAEL / GENESIS 16:11
24. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD / GENESIS 16:7
25. THE LORD HAS KEPT ME FROM HAVING CHILDREN / GENESIS 16:1-2
26. THE LORD MADE A COVENANT WITH ABRAM / GENESIS 15:17-21
27. A COUNTRY NOT THEIR OWN / GENESIS 15:13
28. HE BELIEVED … HE CREDITED IT TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS /GENESIS 15:6
29. YOUR SHIELD, YOUR VERY GREAT REWARD / GENESIS 15:1
30. I WILL ACCEPT NOTHING BELONGING TO YOU /GENESIS 14:22-23
31. GAVE HIM A TENTH OF EVERYTHING / GENESIS 14:20
32. MELCHIZEDEK KING OF SALEM / GENESIS 14:18
33. CALLED OUT THE 318 TRAINED MEN / GENESIS 14:14
34. ABRAM THE HEBREWS / GENESIS 14:13
35. PITCHED HIS TENTS NEAR SODOM / GENESIS 13:12
36. LOT LOOKED UP AND SAW / GENESIS 13:10
37. SAY YOU ARE MY SISTER / GENESIS 12:11-13
38. A FAMINE IN THE LAND / GENESIS 12:10
39. THE LORD APPEARED TO ABRAM / GENESIS 12:7
40. ABRAM LEFT, AS THE LORD HAD TOLD HIM / GENESIS 12:4
41. ALL PEOPLES ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED THROUGH YOU / GENESIS 12:3
42. LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY / GENESIS 12:1-2
43. HIS SON ABRAM / GENESIS 11:31
44. UR OF THE CHALDEANS / GENESIS 11:28
45. LET US BUILD … THAT WE MAY MAKE A NAME / GENESIS 11:4
46. A PLAIN IN SHINAR / GENESIS 11:1-2
47. BORN TO SHEM / GENESIS 10:21-31
48. THE SONS OF HAM / GENESIS 10:6-20
49. THE SONS OF JEPHETH / GENESIS 10:2-5
50. THE ACCOUNT OF SHEM, HAM AND JAPHETH / GENESIS 10:1
51. CURSED BE CANAAN / GENESIS 9:24-25
52. HAM / GENESIS 9:22
53. DRANK SOME OF ITS WINE, HE BECAME DRUNK / GENESIS 9:21
54. MY RAINBOW IN THE CLOUDS / GENESIS 9:13
55. I NOW ESTABLISH MY COVENANT / GENESIS 9:9-17
56. WHOEVER SHEDS THE BLOOD OF MAN BY MAN SHALL HIS BLOOD BE SHED / GENESIS 9:6
57. HEART IS EVIL FROM CHILDHOOD / GENESIS 8:21
58. BUT GOD REMEMBERED NOAH / GENESIS 8:1
59. EVERY LIVING THING WAS WIPED OUT ONLY NOAH WAS LEFT / GENESIS 7:23
60. THE GREAT DEEP BURST FORTH / GENESIS 7:11-12
61. THE FLOODWATERS CAME ON THE EARTH / GENESIS 7:6
62. I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH YOU / GENESIS 6:18
63. AN ARK / GENESIS 6:14
64. NOAH WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN BLAMELESS AMONG THE PEOPLE / GENESIS 6:9
65. THE LORD WAS GRIEVED / GENESIS 6:6
66. HOW GREAT MAN’S WICKEDNESS / GENESIS 6:5
67. THE SONS OF GOD / GENESIS 6:1-2
68. GOD TOOK HIM/ GENESIS 5:24
69. ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD / GENESIS 5:22
70. SETH … FATHER OF ENOSH / GENESIS 5:6
71. ADAM LIVED 930 YEARS / GENESIS 5:5
72. WRITTEN ACCOUNT OF ADAM’S LINE / GENESIS 5:1
73. CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD / GENESIS 4:26
74. MARRIED TWO WOMEN / GENESIS 4:19
75. CAIN … HIS WIFE / GENESIS 4:17
76. CAIN WENT OUT FROM THE LORD’S PRESENCE / GENESIS 4:16
77. A MARK ON CAIN / GENESIS 4:15
78. NOW YOU ARE UNDER A CURSE / GENENSIS 4:11-12
79. YOUR BROTHER’S BLOOD CRIES OUT TO ME / GENESIS 4:10
80. IT DESIRES TO HAVE YOU / GENESIS 4:6-7
81. AN OFFERING TO THE LORD / GENESIS 4:3-5
82. ADAM LAY WITH HIS WIFE / GENESIS 4:1
83. HE DROVE THE MAN OUT / GENESIS 3:24
84. KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL / GENESIS 3:22
85. I WILL GREATLY INCREASE YOUR PAINS / GENESIS 3:16-19
86. HE WILL CRUSH YOUR HEAD, AND YOU WILL STRIKE HIS HEEL / GENESIS 3:14-15
87. THE SERPENT DECEIVED ME / GENESIS 3:13
88. THEY HID / GENESIS 3:8
89. THEY REALIZED THEY WERE NAKED / GENESIS 3:7
90. THE WOMAN … ATE IT … HER HUSBAND … WITH HER / GENESIS 3:6
91. YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD / GENESIS 3:5
92. YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE / GENESIS 3:4
93. THE SERPENT / GENESIS 3:1
94. LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER / GENESIS 2:24
95. HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM / GENESIS 2:18
96. THE LORD GOD COMMANDED THE MAN / GENESIS 2:16-17
97. PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN / GENESIS 2:15
98. TREE OF LIFE / GENESIS 2:9
99. GARDEN IN THE EAST, IN EDEN / GENESIS 2:8
100. A LIVING BEING / GENESIS 2:7
101. THE ACCOUNT – THE LORD GOD / GENESIS 2:4-6
102. GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY / GENESIS 2:3
103. BE FRUITFUL AND INCREASE / GENESIS 1:28
104. GOD SAID LET US – LET US MAKE MAN / GENESIS 1:26
105. SERVE AS SIGNS / GENESIS 1:14-15
106. IT WAS GOOD / GENESIS 1:10
107. THERE WAS EVENING, AND THERE WAS MORNING – THE FIRST DAY / GENESIS 1:5
108. LET THERE BE LIGHT / GENESIS 1:3
109. EARTH WAS FORMLESS AND EMPTY / GENESIS 1:2
110. IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED / GENESIS 1:1
111. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I love having you here. If this post resonated with you, please drop a comment below and share your thoughts. See you in the next post!

Blessings, Margarita & Stace