Who Sees You?

Today, Fresh Start Momentum continues our SUMMER SISTER SERIES highlighting the lives of some famous and amazing women who might just encourage us in our struggles. True stories that can give us insights for our lives in the 21st Century and how all women--married or not--have always been important throughout history. Join us for the final two weeks as we showcase our "sisters."

Many of us have never taken a look at our family tree. Where we came from and where we are going. We haven't even found out who our ancestors were, what they did for a living, and what effect they had on our lives. This week we take a look at the story of a downtrodden woman who lived in misery. Read on and see if you can relate to the existence she endured, then (here's the best part): try to recognize her worth that ended in fulfillment.

Desert Wanderings

It’s not very common today, but slaves or “maidservants” were acceptable in Biblical times. They were expected to do exactly what they were commanded to do and remain quiet. Slave or not, Hagar was a brave woman with a mind of her own. She knew she could be of some value, if only for her labor and the fact she could bear children. And this would become her history that still affects us today!

Hagar served Sarai/Sarah, Abram/Abraham's wife, who had not borne any children at all, even though she was in her 90s. As an answer to infertility, surrogate mothers were used then as now. Contrary to what we may think, it is nothing new. Hagar was expected to do just that for Sarah when she was sent to be Abraham's second wife.

Here was the problem: after Hagar became pregnant, she began to despise Sarah, who in turn, treated Hagar so badly she ran away. We are all humans, after all. We demean and discredit others when things don’t go our way. We cause them to do things they might have never done. We don’t consult the Lord for His direction in our lives. We then, just go about doing whatever we please and, often, turn around and blame God.

Promises and Plans

But God wasn’t going to let Hagar go. God would send her a son named Ishmael (a pretty wild and hard to control kid!) to provide her with a family. He promised that her descendants would grow to so many, she wouldn’t be able to count them. And that is exactly what happened.

He SEES us! 

When Hagar witnessed this promise come true, she knowingly said, You are the God who sees me. This is a heart-pounding statement that we would do well to remember. When we think God is not anywhere near, we are mistaken. When we think He does not hear us, we are mistaken. When we think He has no plans or promises for us, we are mistaken. He is everywhere, all the time, and in every way.  

For this reason, Hagar gave a special name to the well where the angel first found her. It is still there to this day in Beersheba, Israel. Hagar's many ancestors live there to this day.

"The angel of the Lord also said to her: 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 16:11 NIV).

Find the story of Hagar in the Holy Bible, Genesis, Chapters 16; 21.