Hagar and Ishmael

Genesis 21:14-20

Our true story comes from a part of the Bible called Genesis. The word genesis means “the beginning.”

We begin with a woman named Hagar and her son, Ishmael.


Hagar and Ishmael were in a desert. Is it hot or cold in a desert? HOT! This desert was really hot and dry, and Hagar and her son, Ishmael, were very tired and hot.


What do you need when you are tired and hot? That’s right! You need something to drink. Hagar and Ishmael were very thirsty, but they ran out of water to drink.


Do deserts have a lot of water in them? No. It’s really hard to find water in the desert. Hagar and Ishmael didn’t see any water. Hagar began to cry, and her son began to cry too. 


But God was WITH Hagar and Ishmael! An angel of God said to Hagar, “God has heard the boy crying” (Genesis 21:17, NLT). Right then, God helped Hagar see a well of water!


Hagar quickly filled a bottle with water and gave Ishmael some water to drink. Ishmael wasn’t thirsty anymore! Yay!


God heard Hagar and Ishmael because God was always with them, and God hears you because God is always with you too! So, when anyone asks you: “Who is always with you?” You can say, “God is always with me!”






Bible Verse: “God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9, NLT

Text Truth: God always hears me.



Family Devotional


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. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.
—Genesis 21:17-20

In our Bible Story, Hagar and Ishmael were walking through a hot desert. Do you remember why they began to cry? Hagar and Ishmael cried because they ran out of water to drink. But Someone was always with them and heard them cry. Who was always with Hagar and Ishmael and heard them cry? God was always with them, and God heard them! God is always with you too. So, when anyone asks you: “Who is always with you?” You can say, “God is always with me!”

God is with you wherever you go. —Joshua 1:9, NLT

With your family, take a piece of paper and make a list of sounds you hear. It can be something you hear right now or something you’ve heard before—like when you were playing outside or inside your house. It can be anything! Have each member of your family write down a sound they hear. And make sure they write their name next to the sound they write down.

Pray with your family. Allow any family members to pray if they wish. In your own words, say, “Dear God, thank You for this big, beautiful world You made. It’s filled with so many sounds like (read the list your family made). It’s amazing to think that no matter where we go in this world or how many sounds there are, You are always with us and You always hear us. You’re the best, God, and we love You! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

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Story illustrations are the copyright of Sweet Publishing and licensed by FreeBibleimages (http://freebibleimages.org) for free download under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 3.0 unported licence. 
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