Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the LORD, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” Genesis 16:13 NLT
Hagar was a rejected, powerless woman, put in a situation she did not choose by the powerful persons who owned her. Sarai, the woman owner was infertile and wanted a child, so she “gave” her Egyptian slave girl to her elderly husband, hoping he would impregnate her and she could take the child for her own. He was 86 when their child Ishmael was born, and though the Bible doesn’t specifically state her age, details of the story say she was probably around 18 to 20 years old. Can you imagine? Being taken from your own country and people would be bad enough. To be a slave, seen only as property, would make it worse. To be used in the most intimate and soul-scaring ways for the benefit of someone else would be outrageously devastating. To go through all of this and still be just a slave, not the mother of her master’s son – well, could it get any worse? No wonder when she discovered she was pregnant she was consumed with bitterness and began to treat Sarai, her mistress, with contempt. This added fuel to Sarai’s fire, knowing that Hagar had been able to achieve something she could not do. She began to treat Hagar so harshly she could no longer bear it, and she ran away.
We don’t know how long she was gone, but the only search party who came looking for her was the angel of the Lord. He tenderly spoke to Hagar, and told her God had not overlooked what had happened. and from her child she would have more descendants than she could count. She was going to be unable to survive on her own in this culture, and he told her for her own good to return to her mistress with a new attitude of submission to her authority. He gave her a great promise, letting her know that God hears her. She would have a strong, healthy son, and that she was to name him Ishmael, meaning “God hears.”
So what happened? Hagar had a new relationship with God. As she realized that in the midst of her seemingly powerless, insignificant life, God saw her. Now she knew God intimately and powerfully. She gave God a new name, El Roi, Hebrew words meaning “the One who sees me.” Hagar was filled with wonder. “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” She picked up courage to do as God said and return to Sarai and Abram. Apparently the treatment changed to some degree for the better. Abram agreed to name their son Ishmael, and Hagar remained there with Ishmael for the next 14 years. When there was eventually more trouble, God showed up as the Father and protector who treasured her again.
When we cry out to God and realize He sees us, our intimacy grows. We are filled with wonder and courage to obey. We are able to endure because we know the God who sees us will always be faithful. Our past, present, and future are under His watchful and loving eyes.
- Father, help me live in the confidence and obedience of a deeply loved child.