Romancing The Rock

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 the One who sees me.'” [Genesis 16:13 NIV]

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about how insignificant we are when you compare our world with the whole universe, but that God takes interest in us anyway. (See here.) Today I want to show something similar from one person’s perspective. Hagar.

Hagar was a servant. Servants have no high position, get no special attention, they basically do what they’re told, when they’re told, often doing the things that most people wish to avoid. Not an especially fun kind of life.

Now, Hagar was the servant of Sarai, the wife of Abram (before their names were changed). When Sarai remained barren for decades, she took things into her own hands. She gave Hagar to Abram, so she could provide a child for them. I cannot begin to imagine how it must have felt to be used in such a way. There’s food for a whole novel, right there. Hagar fell pregnant and gave birth to a healthy son, which must have been her only joy, for once a baby arrived, Sarai became very jealous and mistreated her.

Sarai abused Hagar to the point that she took her son and ran away. A servant with nothing in the wilderness – she must have been desperate! Used, abused, ignored, undervalued and unseen. I imagine she was despairing – losing hope.

But then, God appeared to her. Yes, God, to a simple servant girl. He promised her an amazing legacy. It turned her life around. That is when she made the statement in the verse above. She, the unseen and un-valued, had been seen and valued by the Creator of the Universe.

And it is the same for you and I. If you feel like you are alone and nobody sees you or values you, remember God is standing by ready to meet with you. He sees the unseen. He loves you and has a purpose for you.