Hagar

A lonely, abused, single mother and slave girl who encounters God so intimately that she is the only person in the entire Bible who gave God a name: El Roi –  God who sees me.

Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham as a concubine to bring forth the son of God’s promise. But we know that this was not God’s plan and He did not need Sarah’s intervention to build the nation He need. After the birth of Ismael Sarah started to verbally and emotionally abuse Hagar. True to her name meaning “flight” or “forsaken”, Hagar fled into the wilderness with her son. There are many times we want to flee from our circumstances too, willing to take our changes somewhere unknown as long as we are not in that situation anymore.

But God had compassion on Hagar as she sat crying listing to the hunger and thirst wailing from her son. He commanded her to go back to her mistress and that He will look after her and her son and from Him too, build a nation.

I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for Hagar to return to something she desperately tried to escape. But I believe that her encounter with God helped her to forgive what was done to her and to trust God amidst everything. We see this when she calls God El Roi –meaning God sees me.

Dear sister, today, even if your heart is broken into a million pieces, God sees you too. You might think your situation is beyond rescue, but God sees you. Hagar’s story shows us that God is faithful to His plan and even though humanity tries to interfere, God’s plan is perfect and unique for you too. He provided for Hagar and her son even when she lost all hope and was ready to die.

He is the God who saw and saved Hagar, and he is the God who sees you.

Written by Michelle Horn for Women of the Word

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