The Lad's Voice Heard

Neville's Inner Vision

Genesis 21:17 is not a distant God listening somewhere above; it is a vivid picture of your inner state being attended by the I AM. The lad represents the part of you that cries out, the wounded or hopeful impulse seeking relief. When the verse says God heard the voice of the lad, you are being told that your awareness is already attentive to the cry within; the 'angel' that calls to Hagar is your own inner guidance, born from the Presence that is always awake. 'What aileth thee?' becomes a compassionate invitation to notice the cause of your tension; 'fear not' is the release of resistance as you align with the truth that the fulfillment you seek is already present in your current location of consciousness. 'God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is' speaks to the immediacy of your state: right now, in your present feeling, mercy, providence, and guidance dwell because the I AM is here, listening. To practice: give your attention to the inner voice longing for relief, assume it is heard, and let that belief convert your feeling into calm assurance.