Mensa Otabil - What's Your Destination? (10/31/2025)
Question: Where are you going? You have a sense of vision, but where are you going? Genesis chapter 16, verse 8: «And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?» And she said, «I’m fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.» Hagar was a victim of circumstances. If you know her story, she was a maid to Abraham’s wife Sarah. At this time, her name is Sarai, but we will use Sarah. Sarah and Abraham didn’t have a child, and by their own arrangement, they thought that Hagar could facilitate their desire for a child. It wasn’t the smartest decision, but it was implemented, and Hagar becomes pregnant, and then everything goes wrong with the plan. You know, there are times you have a plan, you think this is the best plan, and then it starts unfolding, and you say, «Uh-oh, it’s the worst plan I’ve ever made.» So, that’s what happens.
Sarah begins to mistreat Hagar and treats her so badly that Hagar runs away from home; she’s a pregnant lady who runs away from home and finds herself in the wilderness, almost about to lose her life. In the wilderness, the angel of the Lord appears to her or comes to her and asks her the question, «Hagar, where are you going?» That’s a good question for each one of us. You get up in the morning, go through all your rituals and chores, and rush out of the house. Where are you going? You’re moving, making calls, engaging in all kinds of activities, traveling. Where are you going? It’s very possible to move without going anywhere, and there are a lot of people moving frantically, in a frenzy, but going nowhere. At the end of the day, you might feel like you’ve worked and worked but don’t even know where you' re going or what you’ve achieved.
Hagar’s answer to the angel was very interesting. She had no clue where she was going; she knew where she had fled from, but she had no clue where she was going. She just said, «I have fled from my mistress Sarah.» It’s not «whom did you flee from?» but «where are you going?» She knew what was making her run: frustration and anger. She had been mistreated and was running, but she had no sense of where she was going. That’s a very important instruction for us: being angry is not enough for you to move in a direction. It can get you moving, but you may lose your way. Sometimes we are led by frustration or by bad treatment. Somebody didn’t treat you well, somebody didn’t help you, somebody dislikes you, and so you say, «I’m leaving. I’m leaving this job. I’m not going to be here again!» Where are you going? It’s not important just to flee, but where are you going? That’s the question that Hagar couldn’t answer.
So in the end, the angel tells Hagar to go back to where she' s running away from. There will come a time when you can move with a clear sense of direction, but at this time, this kind of movement-where anger and frustration are making you run without direction-can land you from frying pan to fire. So the question I’m also asking you today is, where are you going with all your busyness? Where are you going? I pray that God will give you direction, not only to be active and energetic, but that God will help you have a clear sense of direction with your vision. Let’s share a word of prayer together. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, I know that your eyes are always on me. Help me not to make rushed decisions in my life. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.»