THE HAGAR QUESTION, from Genesis 16:7

“The angel of the Lord found Hagar by a spring of water in the wilderness, running away from Sarai [she of Abraham & Sarah]. And he asked her, ‘Where have you come from and where are you going?’”

In this story in Genesis 16, Hagar is in terrified flight from Sarai’s anger and jealousy. But this story has much food for thought for many of life’s journeys.

It always makes sense to get our bearings for the journey. We start with the past, which has impelled us on our way, “Where have you come from?” That includes both the place and your past experience, how life has touched you and shaped you.

Then we look ahead to where we're going, preparing with what we'll need to have along, planning how to travel, what routes to take, and where we'll need to stop, perhaps to hide. Or we meander along, smelling the roses or sniffing the fire hydrants.

Every journey is different. They can all get us to where we're going. Or not, if we wander off on another path. Where are you fleeing in terror, where are you traveling according to your plan, and where are you meandering? How goes your journey?