"Abram believed the LORD , and he credited it to him as righteousness." Genesis 15:6
This verse just stuck out to me so vividly. It's so simple, and yet so complex to us. Why? Simply believe that what God has promised is true, sure that sounds easy. But it doesn't! God takes Abram outside and shows him the stars and promises that Abram will have as many offspring as the stars.
Sometimes is so hard to accept the simplest promises.
Shortly after his belief is credited to him as righteousness, Sarai brings her maidservant to Abram in hopes of conceiving a child in that way. They take the matters into their own hands. How very human of them. To worsen it, once this poor woman is pregnant- which if you need a reminder, is what Sarai had hoped for- Sarai begins to despise her servant.
That bugs me. Why is it that vulnerable people are used and then abandoned so easily. Sarai, angered by what she forced Hagar into, mistreats Hagar and causes her to run away.
I hate this story for the cruelty and the sense of worth that is so obviously not applied to all life.
I also love this story.
After Hagar departs, an angel of the Lord finds her near a spring in the desert.
"You are now with child, and you will have a son.
You shall name him Ishmael,
For the Lord has heard of your misery.
Genesis 15:11
Ishmael means "God will listen"
He will always listen to our prayers, to our frustrations, our misery.. He will listen.
This is my favourite part in this story.
"You are the God who sees me, I have now seen the One who sees me." Genesis 15:13
Women were considered property. Maidservants were property. Listen to what Abram says to Sarai, after He took a huge part in the whole pregnancy thing! "Your servant is in your hands.. do with her what you think best." v. 6
Hagar, this mistreated, used human being who no one even considered worthwhile was seen by God.
What a beautiful reminder from the Old Testament. Even then, God saw every one of his children and loved each one.
How many Hagars are in our world? Millions. God sees each one. He loves each one. In our own ways, each of us is Hagar. Vulnerable, broken, alone, running away from our fears, hurts,.. perhaps used and disposed of by people that we trusted.
God Sees YOU.
He Loves YOU.
He Yearns for YOU to know him.
God sees you. He hears you. You are not invisible. You are not unloved. You are not alone.
I have been incredibly encouraged by this passage of scripture and it is my prayer that you will read it for yourself.
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