“I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13
The story of Sarah and Hagar in Genesis 16 is filled with deep sadness, horrible choices, and ultimate redemption. Sarah and Hagar truly messed up their lives. It is encouraging, however, to know the same God who provided for them will also provide for us. Let’s recap. . .
Sarah and Hagar lived in a culture that distained them. They were alienated and marginalized. Put these two women together and there was bound to be trouble . . . the real desperate housewives of Canaan!
Sarah felt worthless because she was unable to have a child in a culture that highly valued sons. The one contribution that Sarah most desired to give, that would give her standing, status and praise, and that would fulfill God’s promises to her husband eluded her. Depressed, Sarah found another solution and told Abraham: “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Genesis 16:2
As Sarah’s Egyptian maidservant, Hagar was a “nothing.” She was single, foreign and a slave. Nonetheless, as Sarah’s surrogate she conceived a child. With Hagar’s pregnancy came Sarah’s jealousy: “Then Sarah mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.” Genesis 16:6 The relationship completely disintegrated and Hagar jumped ship.
Alone and pregnant in the desert, Hagar had no protection, no food to eat, and no place to go. She came to a place of personal emptiness and met an angel of the Lord. The angel gave her exactly what she needed. In verse 11, he reassures, “the Lord has heard of your misery.” He instructs in verse 9, “Go back to your mistress,” and makes promises in verse 10, “I will so increase your descendants.” Hagar, a “nobody” in her culture had the privilege of meeting with the Lord, and she gave Him a name: “I have now seen the One who sees me,” Genesis 16:13. She trusted and obeyed God. The Creator-Savior God gave Hagar attention, purpose and hope. How encouraging!
Sarah’s redemption came much later. After many long years, Sarah finally had a son: “Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham . . . at the very time God had promised him.” Genesis 21:2 Sarah finally recognized that God can do the impossible, and she began to trust Him too.
As young girls, many of us were obsessed with fairytale princesses. But, there is a better story for us. As women, we are all princesses for we are all children of the one true King! God claims us as His own. He gives us an identity as image-bearers and a purpose as ezers. Sarah and Hagar both met their heavenly Father intimately and full of faith. That is our challenge as well. To seek the “One who sees us,” meet Him face to face, and to find our identity and calling through Him.
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