✝️*Text: Gen. 16: 13*
Strangers things have happened in the Old Testament, but the reasoning behind the giving of Hagar to Abraham was Sarah’s barrenness and (perhaps) impatience for a child to be given her by the Lord.
One would think the conception would make Sarah happy, since the giving of Hagar to Abraham and the pregnancy that resulted as a product of the union was her own plan coming to fruition, but Scripture says that when Sarah saw that Hagar conceived, Hagar was despised in her eyes. Sarah then ran to Abraham, angry, pointing fingers, claiming that Hagar looked upon her with contempt.
Hagar in response to hostility towards her from Sarah, ran away into the wilderness where she met with the Angel of the Lord who ministered to her and counselled her to return to Sarah her mistress and be submissive to her.
Here we learn a very important lesson regarding submission but that is not the focus of this devotional.
Hagar's response to the Angel's ministration and counsel was a statement of awe, wonder and amazement – “ *_You are the God who sees me_* .”
She was no doubt impressed and at the same time humbled that she could be important enough for God to see her.
Being heard is a basic, important, human need. But so is being seen, known, and noticed.
God gave that privilege to a young woman who had been used and treated harshly, tears dripping violently off her cheeks in the middle of a vast, unwelcoming wilderness.
Most, if not all of humanity, will in some form or fashion have the same experience as Hagar (being treated harshly, being used and then dumped, being trampled upon unjustly by superior forces).
Most if not all of humanity will at one point or another experience or know what it is to be used or abused – or both.
This teaches us a very vital lesson about life which is that - “ _Life will not always be good to me, but the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has been and will continue to be good to me_ .”
I wouldn’t describe the year 2020 as a year that’s been so good to us.
COVID 19 Pandemic, Sickness, political upheaval, job losses, business losses, loneliness, depression, death, grief, and fear have plagued us.
But we have a God who sees us. In His love, mercy, and care for us, He saw it fit to, via the virgin womb of another young lady named Mary, send us His Son, Jesus who lives with us forever.
We celebrate Him, especially this time of year, but He deserves to be celebrated in our hearts 24/7 all through the year, because without Jesus, we are often easily overlooked.
God's discipline is for our profiting, a necessity for us, if we desire to be a partaker of His holiness.
Unlike man's discipline, God's discipline is not out of a desire on God’s part to be vindictive, neither is it meant to be oppressive or unjust, it is not a witch-hunt.
Whenever God decides to discipline you, you can be sure that you deserve it and you should be glad and consider yourself privileged that you have a God who loves you enough to discipline you when you err, not everyone has that privilege.
Shalom
🛐Prayer Points
🎯Father I give you praise because you are the all-seeing God. Nothing is hidden from You.
🎯Father thank you that in my lowly state you see me, in my challenges and troubles in life you se me and you reach out to deliver me.
🎯Father may I never be despised in the eyes of my helpers in Jesus name.
🎯Father please grant me victory over any hostility directed against my life in Jesus name.
🎯Father may all those who must remember me not forget me, may I be visible to all those who should see me in Jesus name.
