I have a very little baby right now. I spend most of my hours nursing her or holding her. And when she finally happens to be sleeping somewhere that’s not my arms I’m able to do other things. But the problem is my list of “necessaries” has become so long and so urgent that I can’t even decide where to begin. I lay the baby down and just stand still with glazed-over eyes, thinking, Where do I begin? This morning while she napped, I gaped at my list with sheer, uncomprehending panic. I couldn’t set myself on a course. And if you can’t find a place to start, and then stick with your plan, nothing ever gets done. I spend the moments in between nursing sessions drifting from task to task. Homeschooling, housecleaning, writing, trying to be present and available. But these responsibilities stack on top of each other, and I inevitably find my mind aimlessly wandering.
Even the most focused among us are prone to wander. We allow ourselves little, innocent wanderings (like idly wondering if hummingbirds fly to Puerto Rico in the winter) or wide, damaging veers off the course (like refusing to forgive). And sometimes we flat-out run away. That’s what Hagar did. Sarai, later renamed Sarah, treated her maidservant harshly, and pregnant Hagar ran from her, into the wilderness. But the Lord saw her. He gives grace to those who can’t seem to take anymore.
Do you find yourself in her shoes sometimes? Not, ahem, the impregnated maidservant of a biblical patriarch so much, but by yourself in the wilderness? Those who stray, those who run, are nevertheless beloved by Him. He still attended and cared for Hagar in the desert, and He does the same for us.
God sees us even when we can no longer see straight. His providence encompasses us no matter where we go. This is not a reason to excuse and condone waywardness, but it’s a reminder of the goodness and graciousness of God, a provocation to gratefulness and an exhortation to run to Him.
He didn’t see Hagar because of anything she’d done. We aren’t told she had faith like Abraham’s. We read nothing about her devotion to God or to righteousness. As Sarai’s maidservant, she didn’t have much of a choice in the matter when it came to bearing Ishmael. And when Sarai was mean to her, she ran off in disobedience. Of course, we can all empathize with her, but the fact of the matter is, God saw Hagar and comforted her in the desert because He is good, not because Hagar was. And that is good news for all who wander.
Oops make that Sarah’s contempt lol!
Good morning friends. This is my first online Bible study and I am joining late. I liked the idea of looking for God more than the people as I study. So rather than focusing on Hagar and seeing her struggles, or on Sarah and seeing her pain of now being despised because the second wife has given the child she couldn’t produce, I find myself seeing God in a deeper way. The compassionate God, the merciful God, but also the Almighty God foreshadowing the greatest blessing for all of mankind.
Here is the contrast of the old law (Hagar) and the new covenant. A picture is given of the works of the flesh verses faith in the promise. If we are children of faith, we are heirs and inherit the blessing. If of the flesh, we are cast out. It really happened, and yet as God tells us in Galatians 4:21-31(read it!) it is an allegory to compare the two covenants. The beautiful part is, that as I feel for both Sarah and Hagar, I see that this story(true) points the way to salvation, even to the multitudes of descendants of Hagar! God be praised.
“He gives grace to those who seem unable to take anymore.” I felt that.
God saw and cared for Ishmael and Hagar in spite of his life being unplanned. Man sometimes bares children in the context of sin, and here God demonstrates how we are to love every unplanned life.
Paul redeems this story by pointing it to the Gospel in Galatians 4 : 22 – 31.
vs. 23 “the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise…these women are two covenants.”
We are not made alive by our choice or by works of the flesh, but through the a promise that brings freedom.
You are absolutely correct!!!
Thank you for the additional verse!
Today’s reading helped me to be mindful that God is aware of me. If he was aware of Hagar when she went to the well then he is aware of every second, moment, breath of my life. I think we can all relate to Hagar, she felt broken and downtrodden. I have felt like that many times! Jesus Christ cares about everyone not just the righteous but even those who struggle in sin and trials. Blessed be our Lord who is merciful to all!
I haven’t seen this mentioned in any of the comments, unless I’ve missed it. To me, the most important part of this story is the incredible fact that Hagar is the only person noted in the Bible that gives God a name. Everywhere else God tells people what his name is, yet here, a woman, a slave, abused and rejected, is able to give God a name. He sees me! What a redeeming part of Hager’s story and one I remember often when I feel overwhelmed by life.
Amen!
Amen
First off, Hagar despises Sarai first before Sarai has anything against her. Heart issue. We don’t know how Hagar may have treated or responded to Sarai before Sarai “dealt harshly” with her. Hagar had to do something in order for Sarai to respond. And who are we to assume it was abuse or what actually went on between these lines? We don’t know what happens between the lines of this short passage. I’ll play the advocate that both may have been in the wrong. It starts in the heart and Hagar’s heart seems to be against Sarai and may have neglected basic responsibilities of a mindset any or treated her poorly and so Sarai returns with her own heart upset and deals harshly. We are getting in a tizzy over what we don’t truly know or if anyone some how knows what went on exactly with them between the lines then please enlighten me with biblical and historical proof. She ran away and the angel said return and submit and obey, running away was disobedience despite how she was treated (I’m not in agreement with the harsh treatment but we don’t even know what that harsh treatment was!) but I believe the author is making the point there was disobedience and God still goes after us with grace. We’re just looking to be offended these days. Of course abusive situations should be fled and put to and end. But here we are criticizing the sins of old when we have been harsh with our children or someone else and expected complete obedience and so on in the pain and have sinned ourselves! I urge you all to consider we don’t know what all went on between the lines and to see the main theme is God’s grace and presence in this story. They both were in the wrong in the end. So have some grace for someone who in her time of post-pregnancy saw the situation as so, tried to write, handle a newborn and a household of 5 more, and may have missed what others can see (because come on being a Mom is hard) but that’s what’s so beautiful is how God made us with different minds and in different seasons to point out different lessons.
Thank you for your clear words. Agree! With ❤️
Well said