6 insights from a runaway Girl

 Read Genesis 16.

Abram had been on the land God promised for ten years and he was prospering.  But the second part of God's covenant to him had not happened.  There were no children, let alone innumerable descendants.  At ages 85 and 75, he and Sarai reasoned that God was not meeting their need.  Times of little faith, or loss of faith, in God causes us to be vulnerable to selfish, silly and even satanically influenced decisions. 

So, they decided not to wait on God.  Instead, they took matters into their own hands.  Hagar was an Egyptian servant to Sarai, who was probably given to them by Pharaoh in chapter 12.  It turned out to be one bad decision followed by another.  Jealousy and abuse caused Hagar to flee. 

The angel of the LORD appeared to her.  This is a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Himself! 

Do not miss the character of God displayed toward Hagar.

1. The LORD found her.  It is a picture of God pursuing those who need Him.

2. The LORD questioned her.  Doesn't He already know the answer?  Yes.  But will she listen to His voice and respond?  God wants us to admit or confess the truth of our condition back to Him.

3. She responded.  She confessed that she was running from her problems.  It is most often a turning point in one's life, when they can admit this.  Running from issues, rather than facing them, only worsens the situation.  In addition, no one can out run God.

4. The LORD's message to her was to turn around.  The word repent means to turn.  It is a turn from going the wrong direction and turning to God's way for life.

5. The LORD made a promise to her and described a future for her descendants.  He did not have to do this.  It is called grace.  When God made the promise to all of us of eternal life through faith in Jesus, it was solely provided to us by His grace.

6. The result was a personal relationship with the God of heaven and earth.  Surely, she witnessed Abram's worship, but now this relationship had become hers.  She had her own encounter with the living God.  Ishmael means "God hears".  Then, she declared, "You are a God of seeing."  God sees.  More than that, "Truly here I have seen him who looks after me."  God cares. 

This same One pursues us today, to show His grace, as He hears, sees, and cares about the needs in our lives.