Encouragement During Suffering (Gen. 21:17)

Read Genesis 21:17.

What you expect to read is "And God heard her voice."  Yes, He did, but that's not what the verse says.  It says, "And God heard the boy's voice."  (To my knowledge this is the only record of Ishmael's praying.  He probably did pray at other times, since Abraham would've modeled and encouraged that.)

1.  God hears the prayer of the one who suffers.
2.  God hears the prayer of the one who comes alongside the one who suffers.
3.  God not only hears your prayers but He responds to them.  He is full of compassion.