There are so many poignant stories in the Bible. Real stories of human heartache and pain. Like that of the founder of the Jewish nation and his wife.
Abram & Sarai were childless, so Sarai gave her handmaiden (Hagar) to Abram and he married her. She quickly fell pregnant, highlighting the fact that the infertility problem indeed lay with Sarai. You can imagine Sarai was devastated and mistreated Hagar, so Hagar ran away. She goes into the desert – all alone – abandoned – no ‘connections’ – no possessions – no future – no hope – AND pregnant. Imagine her despair? Then an angel of the Lord appears to her and first asks her what she’s doing. He then tells her to return to Sarai and submit to her. THAT would be a hard pill to swallow. He goes onto say she will give birth to a son called Ishmael (meaning ‘God Hears’). The angel also says a whole lot of really negative things about Ishmael. Hagar could have responded in many ways. She could have said “Go back to Sarai! Not on your life! She’ll kill me!’ She could have said, ‘Wow, a son! That makes me feel better!’ She could have said ‘Why are you telling me all these things?’ Instead Hagar replies,
Genesis 16:3
“You are the God who sees me.”
“You are the God who sees me…” Of all the things Hagar could have said, she picks that one! The place all this happened was called Beer Lahai Roi means well of the Living One who sees me.
It’s the truth! God sees us.
Today if you are facing difficulties – financial trouble, family hardship, ill-health, abandonment, in the desert, alone & pregnant, miserable – God is the One who sees you.
The Lord has heard your misery. He will not abandon you. You may need to backtrack and submit to someone, but God sees your circumstances and He will make a way!
The secret is to trust God completely. He wants what is best for each one of us. Oftentimes, we can’t see that – it’s hard to believe – but if we choose to believe it, we will find it to be true.