Worship - 21 June 2026

Summary Of This Week's Theme

Have you ever been tempted to think, “If God forgives my sins, then my behaviour doesn’t really matter”? That is precisely the misunderstanding that Paul addresses in Romans 6. Some Christians were apparently drawing the conclusion that more sin would simply mean more grace. Paul rejects that idea. Through baptism and our union with Christ, we belong to Christ. Grace is not permission to live however we please; it is the power by which God transforms us into people who seek to live as Christ lived.

That same grace is visible in today’s story of Hagar and Ishmael. Hagar had already once fled into the wilderness to escape Sarah’s harsh treatment. There, God met her, and she gave God the name El-roi, “the God who sees,” while her son was named Ishmael, meaning “God hears.”

The roots of today’s episode lie in Sarah’s impatience. Unable to conceive, she took matters into her own hands and gave Hagar to Abraham in the hope of producing the promised heir. The result was jealousy, conflict, and family dysfunction. Scripture is remarkably honest about the flaws of its heroes. Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar are all deeply human, making mistakes familiar to us even today.

Now Hagar is driven away again, this time with Ishmael. Lost in the wilderness and out of water, she despairs. Yet God hears the cries of Ishmael, opens Hagar’s eyes to a well, and provides what they need. God sees, God hears, and God acts.

Perhaps the well had been there all along. In her distress, Hagar simply could not see it until God opened her eyes. There may be a lesson there for us. When disappointment, fear, or uncertainty overwhelm us, we can lose sight of the ways God is already providing. Grace often works not by removing every difficulty, but by helping us discover the resources and strength we need.

Hagar and Ishmael remind us of the kind of God we worship: a God who notices those whom society overlooks and cares for those on the margins. They also challenge us to do the same. Are we listening, seeing, and responding to those who are excluded or vulnerable?

God’s grace is freely given and stronger than human selfishness and failure. It transformed Hagar’s wilderness experience, and it continues to work through us as we seek to share in Christ’s ministry of justice, mercy, and compassion.