Tag Archives: Hagar

Finding God in the Lonely Places

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Places are important in our lives. Think about a place that means so much to you and your family. Maybe it’s where you got engaged or the restaurant where you had your first date. It could be the house where you found out you were having your first baby, or the town you grew up in. Place have value because they hold memories for us.

God Used Places all the time in the Bible

Places in the Bible are no less important. We see time and time again where God uses places or geographical features to do something in the lives of his people. Often it was deserts or wildernesses. God would use these places as a time set aside for his chosen person, often to get their attention.

Think of Moses in the desert and the burning bush, Joseph in Egypt, David in the caves as he runs from Saul, Elijah on the mountaintop with the prophets of Baal, Jesus praying in the garden…

Hagar in the Wilderness

Hagar was a person who experienced something in the wilderness. We find her story in Genesis 16. Abram knows he’s going to be the father of many nations; God’s promised him that. But when his wife doesn’t get pregnant, and they get too old to have kids, he and his wife take matters into their own hands. Abram sleeps with his servant, Hagar, and she becomes pregnant. Sara becomes bitter about it and treats Hagar terribly, so Hagar runs away.

Hagar finds herself alone in the wilderness. She’s sad, scared, uncertain, and all alone. And yet, God finds her there. The angel of the Lord that she will have a son. Her son, Ishmael, will have many offspring, too many to count.

The God Who Sees Me

Hagar is overcome with emotion and the fact that God came to her. She calls God by his name El-roi, “the God who sees me.” She takes notice of the fact that God saw her...in this place.

So she named the Lord who spoke to her: “You are El-roi,” for she said, “In this place, have I actually seen the one who sees me?”

Genesis 16:13CSB

Had Hagar been in a different place, would God have seen her? Yes. Would He have come to her? I don’t know. If she had stayed with Sara and Abraham, it’s possible God might not have made an appearance to her. But in the wilderness, in the place where she was very alone, God appeared to her.

Seasons in Our Lives

There are seasons and places in our lives where God comes to us and “shows” Himself to us more than at other times. Often, it’s in the “wilderness” or “desert” seasons. It’s in those times when we feel so alone, isolated, forgotten, that God shows us Himself. Sometimes, it really is a location.

It can be a college dorm room, the first time we’re away from our family. We don’t know anybody, and we are completely and utterly alone, even though we’re surrounded by hundreds or thousands of other students. Our wilderness can be in a new city or after we leave our job to stay at home with a baby. Maybe it’s after a divorce, and we suddenly find ourselves alone once again for the first time in years. Wilderness times can surprise us; other times, we know they’re coming. So many times, God uses these wilderness times to “come to us,” to remind us of who He is. It was after a time of testing when Job lost everything that he says, “I had only heard about you before, but now I’ve seen you.” (Job 42:5)

Wilderness Times

There will be times when God takes you away from everything you know, whether that’s literal or figurative. You will be completely alone and isolated, whether that’s from people or even just from peace and joy. You’ll feel alone and abandoned, discouraged and depressed. Yet, these are the times that God shows Himself to us; He shows us who He really is. When these times come, and they will, don’t abandon your faith. Don’t abandon your belief that God is good. Trust that He is still working on your behalf. He hasn’t forgotten you, and He knows exactly what you’re going through.

Instead, spend the time searching for Him. Spend extra time in your morning time routine. Pray more often; journal more frequently. Keep your eyes open and alert because it’s in the wilderness or alone times that God often shows Himself to us in a way that’s so remarkable, we won’t ever forget it.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, The God Who Sees Me, or check out The Hidden Pain.

The God Who Sees Me

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“Mommy! Look at me.” You will hear this phrase shouted across just about any playground or park. Between the giggles and the shouts, children are driven by the approval and attention of their parents.  

A young couple after a few years of marriage slam doors after angry accusations. In separate spaces and places, they wonder, “Does he … Does she … see me?”  

The heartbreak of disappointment leaves us begging God for help. In a moment of desperation, we cry out to God, “Don’t you care? Can you even see me?” 

God’s Promise to Abram

Life can be complicated especially when we jump the gun with God.  

The infamous story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar unfolds like a script from a day-time soap opera. It all started when God promised Abram (before God changed his name to Abraham) that he would be the “father of a great nation.” Even Abram’s name meant “exalted father.” That’s a tough name to have when you don’t have any kids. Imagine the snickers and taunts Abram got. God promised. Abram and Sarai (before God called her Sarah) pined. Birthdays come quick when you enter your sixth and seventh decade of life. Desperate times call for desperate measures.  

Sara’s Servant Hagar

Enter stage left: Hagar. Undoubtedly younger than her 75-year-old counterpart, Hagar was Sarah’s personal assistant. Sarah gave up on the hope that she could have kids and schemed up a whopper of an idea. “I’ll just have Hagar sleep with my husband to give us a baby.” It takes surrogacy and in-Vetro to a whole new level. In our culture, we can’t wrap our minds around this desperation of irrationality. For Abraham and Sarah, it was a cultural and financial decision.

Without an heir, Abraham, the wealthy businessman that he was, would pass on his business and all his assets to his right-hand man Eliezar, as was custom. Another option, however, was for Abraham to father a child by the “handmaid” of his wife. 

Hagar’s Pregnancy 

Hagar got pregnant. As you can imagine, things didn’t go well between Sarah and Hagar. Two women who were presumably friends at one time, now had a falling out. Hagar treated Sarah with contempt and looked down on her. Sarah was scorned and you know what they say, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”   

Abraham, like any good husband, simply said, “You’re her boss. You handle the situation however you see fit.” (Genesis 16:6) Sarah made Hagar’s life difficult. It was tough enough that Hagar abandoned her job and went on the run as a single expectant mom. Abandoned by everything she came to know and love, Hagar found herself alone by a well in the wilderness. 

God Sees Hagar 

In this moment, God sees her in need and sends help. An angel appears and gives direction to Hagar to return back to Abraham and Sarah and to trust God to bless her. Hagar’s response, “Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” (Genesis 16:13) 

God Sees You 

Crazy story, right? Hagar did what was acceptable in the culture, but not the wisest decision. Yet God still honors her, blesses her, and sees her. Life isn’t always cut and dry, black and white. It is complex and messy. At the end of the day, life can leave us confused, unloved, and unnoticed. In spite of the situation, God saw her. God sees you. No matter how far you go from God, he still sees you. No matter what you’ve done, El Roi sees you. David knew this when he wrote, “Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7)  

Don’t lose sight of your call and purpose because you are in obscurity. Refuse to believe what people say about you. Remember the one who sees you.  

God’s Name for Today

El Roi- “The God who sees” 

אל ראי 

“You are the God who sees me.” -Genesis 16:13 

An Excerpt from Our Newest Devotional

This is an excerpt from our newest devotional, God is for You. It’s a thirty-day devotional of the names of God. if you are looking for some encouragement right now, some hope…check out this devotional. I think it will really encourage your heart.

For more like this, check out my post, God is Working on Your Behalf Today.