She had nothing to say about it. No choice in the matter. She simply had to do as she was told. Pushed into a man's arms and bed, she wound up pregnant and mistreated. And she ran. She ran into the dessert where she could be alone. No matter. No one would notice, anyway, would they? She was an insignificant slave girl. Unloved and unseen. Who would care if she left her miserable existence?
Do you recognize this story? It is the circumstance in which Hagar found herself in Genesis 16. But the story doesn't end with the same despair with which it began. On the contrary, Hagar had an encounter with the angel of the LORD and found a hope she'd never before imagined. The angel told her to go back to her mistress and promised he would increase her descendants. Then he told Hagar that she was pregnant (Although she already knew...) and gave her details about her son's life. Imagine with me what that must have been like for Hagar. This girl who had been treated like a piece of property - who probably felt unnoticed and forgotten - had just been spoken to by the angel of the LORD. He told her things no one else could possibly know about her. How could he know these things? Unless, unless...He actually saw her! Genesis 16:13 says,She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”And that's where the hope entered her life. Suddenly she was NOT unnoticed. She was seen. The God who created the world saw her! I am so encouraged by Hagar's story, and the implication for my life. God sees me, too. Every moment of every day. Even when I am feeling alone and unnoticed, HE sees. Are you in need of this encouragement today, my friend? Do you feel like nobody sees you, or understands the things through which you're going? May you find hope in El Roi. The God who sees! And if there is any way I can pray for you and your circumstance, please let me know. Love to you!
4 comments:
I see it too, how he sees me. How he has been with me all along. I just had to be open to seeing his presence, and it took me a LONG time to really know it in my heart and not just know it in my head. :)
Kaira - I love you! And I am delighted to know you see it, too. No matter how long it took - God is patient and faithful! ((hugs))
In so many ways, it has seemed like life is just crap. I'm listing my "Thankfuls" for November but this year it has been such a stretch for me. I do know that listing these helps me to keep my focus on the eternal things. Right now we are struggling because our dog attacked and killed our cat. Thank GOD the kids were not home. But I was...and I saw it all. The cat was old 15+, and he should not have been sneaking to eat from the dog's bowl. But it happened, and the dog snapped. And now she's now welcome in our home. It is for the safety of our children. My in-laws picked up the dog on Sunday. They thought that maybe they could get her into a program for dogs with prisoners in the local jails...but she wasn't accepted. It is so quiet in the house without the cat and dog. And by quiet, you know that there still are 3 kids living here, but there is just less commotion. I'm noticing that my dealing with the grief of losing 2 pets, grieving losing my Gramp as he nears death, and remembering my dad (it's been 6 years already) leaves me at a place where my temper is short with myself and the kids. Can you pray that I would have grace for the kids as they grieve too? And that we would make it through this tough month.
KM - - I am praying, dear friend. I am praying! May you sense the power and presence and - yes! - the PEACE of God in your heart and home tonight.
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