Are You Like Hagar?

Remember that pity party I had for myself last week?  What I didn't mention was that the night before, my sweet friend Amy invited me to lead a women's Bible study.  She didn't have a book picked out but she did have 3 or 4 ladies interested in getting together and doing some fellowship & praying.  I said, yes and the very next day woke up feeling like NO ONE IN THE WORLD even knew my name!

Curses to you hormones!

The best part?  I picked a book by Tammy Maltby — The God Who Sees, and the irony…… oh the irony of that choice!  It's all about feeling left out or overlooked.  Tammy uses the story of Hagar the Egyptian slavegirl in Genesis to make her point.  Hagar ran away after Sarai started treating her badly when she became preggo with Abram's baby. She runs to the desert and has an encounter with the angel of the Lord.  The angel instructs her to "return & obey" and goes on to tell her she will be a part of a great lineage.  Hagar has this epiphany and realizes that GOD SEES HER and that he loves her.  She decides then to call him the God who sees, El Roi.  From what we know, Hagar does return and follows through with her duties as well as gives birth to Ishmael her wild donkey of a son.

Hagar's encounter reminds me that God does see and He does know when I'm down & out (or PMS'n).  He cares about little injustices that come my way and He understands being shunned or ignored.  He loves me, anyway!  Whether I'm the one doing that to another or just feeling it myself.  He sees me.

Hagar ran because she was having her own pity party.  Not realizing until her encounter with the angel just how ridiculous her choice to flee was.  Oftentimes, that's how we respond too.  We run.  We flee the issues or people who make us feel crummy about ourselves.  We try to ignore or avoid what we're supposed to be doing because we're too weak to face it, alone!  The reality?  Is that we're never alone!  God is always there and He always sees….

He is, El Roi!

 

PS — I just want to add.  My new BS group met last night and it was fantastic!  Each lady, perfect!  Just what God planned and I couldn't be more excited for the coming weeks ahead!  And before you go thinking….perfect, how perfect?  I mean, each one…struggling, carrying burdens, wise, needy…all the things that make up a good group for fellowship and growth!  Yeehaw!  That's the kind of perfect I'm talking about.

Leave a Reply