Hagar, in the book of Genesis, as the maidservant of Sarai and subsequently a maidservant of Sarai's unbelief, was called upon to become a wife of Abraham that she might bear them an heir in their own strength and in their own way attempt to fulfill God's promise for their life. In Genesis, we read "3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.
6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
7 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands."
They called the shots and things changed. Devastation ensued, not life. Sarai grew to despise her maidservant so much so that scripture shows us that Hagar flees from the mistreatment. Becoming somewhat backed up against a wall, she finds herself in the journey of her life seeking refreshment in places outside of where she should be - abiding under her authority until she is released by God. And God in his lovingkindness, one that we don't always understand, sends her back to submit to her mistress, honoring his principles of submission to authority, and does so with a promise and a blessing to multiply her descendants. Moreover, in the sending her back, He's giving her an opportunity to wait on Him, His timing, and to trust Him for the more.
In the midst of it all, the blessing that far exceeds the rest is that she learns a new facet of the Father's character, He is the God who sees her. Genesis 16:13 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[c] the One who sees me.” 14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi[d]; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. According to blueletterbible.com, Kadesh means "holy" and Bered means "hail." Hail storms in the old testament are regarded as divine judgment... Hagar had the knowing that our Living God is a God who sees us as in all places. When we stand in the place that teeters between holy ground and that which will be judged, He sees. Not only does He see us, He draws us back to the place He would have us and is with us in it, and speaks blessing over us.
He is the God that sees me, that sees you. Circumstances may be difficult, but obedience remains a doorkeeper between us and our Father who desires to continually be in communication with us, directing us in all our ways, and releasing us from difficulties as we walk through them in His perfect timing. In it, we learn experientially He is the God who sees us. He has no blind spots and no place is too difficult for Him. As I recently heard Steven Furtick say, "God can use other's bad decisions to get me to my destiny." I'd like to add that He can use my poor decisions as well. His power is not affected by my unbelief and neither are His purposes. Remember who He is and whom you belong to!
In reflection of Hagar's story, I find myself asking, Who? Or what are we requiring to serve our unbelief as we refuse to wait upon the Lord and instead substitute our own weary ways to fulfill his promises for our lives? What position are we placing others in and what pressure/burdens are we requiring of them to be what God has not intended them to be, to fill roles that God did not intend for them to fill? Are we running forward with good intention- tainted with fleshly desire- premature in time and space?
We live in a culture that does not celebrate being still. Waiting is viewed as complacency and urgency accompanies most days. Move quick or you'll miss out. Run ahead because first place is the only place that counts, but the ways of His Kingdom far exceed ours and often what we think is the breaking of one thing (maybe even of us) is actually the building up of something quite majestic.
Is the Father calling you to return until you're released by Him in His timing? If so, He is sufficient. For if we run, may we be found running the race He has set before us, not one of our own creation, not away from what He has for us.
"So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."Matt 20:16
"Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."Psalm 119:32
"Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you." Proverbs 4:25
Worship Him! His intention for you is good!
May you trust Him as Abba today!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GeVf1XQOPg , "Abba" Jonathon David Helser
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