Scripture
Genesis 16:1-16
Genesis 21:8-21
There is a beautiful story of a woman within the larger narrative of Abraham’s story. Her name is Hagar, an Egyptian slave who served her mistress, Sarai, Abram’s wife. God had promised Abram and Sarai a son, but they were well beyond childbearing age, both in their upper 90’s. So, Sarai decided to take things into her own hands, giving her slave, Hagar, to Abram to be his wife so that Sarai could build a family through her. So, Hagar conceives and then starts to despise Sarai, who then goes on to mistreat Hagar, so Hagar fled.
It was in the desert where Hagar had an incredible encounter with God. The angel of the Lord found her and asked her where she has come from and where she is going. She told the angel that she’s running away from her mistress. The angel then told her to go back and submit to her mistress, and he, God, will increase her descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count. Then he tells her how she will name her son, Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of her misery. Ishmael means, “God hears.” God heard her misery, heard her cries.
Then, she in turn gave the Lord a name, “You are the God who sees me.” She said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” She is actually the first person in the Bible to give the Lord a name. In Hebrew, it is El Roi, the God who sees. So beautiful. God heard her and he saw her.
Later, after Isaac was born, Sarah ended up having Hagar and Ishmael sent away, but
God told Abraham to not worry about them. He will make Ishmael into a nation because he is also his offspring. So, Abraham gave them some food and water and sent them away. They wandered in the desert and they soon ran out of water. They both were crying, thinking they would die. God heard the boy crying and an angel of God called to Hagar and told her not to be afraid for God has heard him crying. She told her to lift him up, take him by the hand, for he will make him into a great nation. Then, God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. It says that God was with the boy as he grew up. God fulfilled his promise to Hagar and Abraham here about Ishmael and how he would also have many descendants.
At her lowest moments, in the desert, God encountered Hagar. He saw her, heard her, provided for her and her son. The same is true for you. God sees you and he hears you. He hears your crying, sees your tears, knows your pain. In your lowest moments, he is right there with you. It is often in those lowest, most difficult moments, that God encounters us in incredible ways.
Prayer
You are the God who sees. Thank you for how you see me and hear me all the time, but especially when I’m at my worst. Open my eyes to see that you are here with me, even right now.
Questions/Journal Prompts
Feel free to use these questions as a guide as you journal and/or pray.
1. Are there times in your life where you feel invisible or you feel like you’re alone in a desert like Hagar was?
2. How does it make you feel, hearing that God sees you?
3. Do you feel seen by God? Do you feel like he hears you? Why or why not?
Songs to listen to
Spend some time listening to this song, reflecting on the words, and sitting with Jesus.
“Rescue” by Lauren Daigle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYR0xP1j4PY
Kommentare