God sees a homeless woman.
As a child she was intrigued by a refugee family living in her neighborhood.
The story is told that she gave up the royal court of her family to join herself as slave to this couple.
Whatever the motivation, she found herself attracted to the simple faith of this couple.
She noticed this simple faith was not wrapped in the fancy robes of the priests or in the elaborate temples of her parents’ faith. She became devoted to this simple faith.
The couple she lived with struggled with one serious issue; they were childless. The thought of not having a child to inherit the family’s possessions was terrifying.
What to do?
It is amazing how a culture finds a way to address its challenges.
"Abe, God has been holding out on me. I cannot have a child and you know we need to have a child to inherit to your possessions. The law says you can take one of our maids and sleep with her and her child can keep the family tree alive."
Abe and Sarah talked about this possibility.
Abe being a man of great faith wondered if this was just helping God out. Sarah struggled to share her husband’s faith. “We need to use what we have. Take Hagar to bed tonight and let’s see if we can have a baby.”
Have you ever tried to help God out? You know you should trust God and lean hard on God. But it is taking too long to see God’s answer. Let’s help God out.
So Abe slept with his slave girl and she became pregnant.
Have you noticed that sometimes our answers to our problems create other problems?
The slave girl was jealous of her mistress’s position. Maybe she thought that she could replace Sarah in Abraham’s life. Whatever happened, Sarah took umbrage at the slave girl’s attitude.
Then Sarah took it out on Abraham and turns it into a spiritual issue; “I guess God will have to choose between us.” Abraham becomes defensive and tells Sarah to do as she pleases.
Instead of just sending the slave girl off into the desert, Sarah makes life very miserable for her.
Finally, getting the message, the slave girl takes off for the desert.
God sends an angel visit the slave girl. And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
Have you noticed that God knows our name? Here Hagar is – a homeless, pregnant woman being addressed by a ministering angel of the Lord.
“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.
Why are you homeless? I have met many people who are homeless because they are running away from something. In their minds they can justify their running. Often just like Hagar it is a relationship issue they are running away from.
Listen to the angel’s instruction:
“Go back to your mistress and submit to her.,”
We can’t run from life. Sometimes we have to swallow our pride and go back home to learn the practice getting along even in difficult situations. I remember going off to college, running from my home life, and I returned again and again. Was it easy? No, but I learned some valuable lessons about living through the challenges.
So Hagar went back to Abraham and Sarah’s home. I am sure that was an interesting discussion between Hagar and Sarah. Was there a confession of a haughty attitude? Was their forgiveness? Was there some kind of peace offering? We don’t know.
What we do know is that eventually, Hagar gave birth to a son and Abraham named him Ishmael. Abraham was 86 years old.
Hagar and Ishmael continued to live with Abraham and Hagar.
Fourteen years later, Sarah becomes pregnant and gave birth to a son, Isaac.
We don’t know how old Isaac was weaned, but it was the occasion of a great party. The reason the weaning of a child was celebrated was because for a child to make it this far in their life was considered a good sign that the child would make it to adulthood. It is not clear how hold Isaac was at his weaning, somewhere between 18 months and 5 years old.
The celebration was not a celebration for everyone. Standing on the edge of party was a teenage Ishmael. Ishmael began to make fun of Isaac. Abraham was distressed at what he saw. He was ready to send Hagar and Ishmael packing. Being a man of faith he talked to God about his problem. Interestingly, God tells Abraham to talk to Sarah and do what she says. Apparently, Sarah tells Abraham to kick Hagar and Ishmael out of the house because according the Biblical account, Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael on their way with some food and water. Hagar was homeless again.
As Hagar and Ishmael drank the last of their water, Hagar places Ishmael under a bush and walks away to get away from Ishmael’s crying. God heard Ishmael’s cry.
God hears our cries and sends an angel to comfort us. As I have listened to many of your stories I have heard many stories of people being visited by angels – some looked like truck drivers, others looked like case manager, and still others looked like another homeless person.
The angel of God comforts Hagar. Hagar receives a new realization of God. God is the God who sees.
Here is my message in a nutshell for you this Mother’s Day;
Were you raised be a single mother? God saw you.
Are you a single mother? God sees you.
God sees you…
You may feel invisible to the people riding the bus with you – God sees you!
You may feel invisible to your case manager – God sees you!
You may feel invisible right here in the chapel – God sees you!
When God saw Hagar, God opened her eyes to see the resources he provided – a well of water.
When God sees you, God will provide what you need. I am sure Hagar wanted more than a well of water – but that was all she needed. And at the well she found the food and the water she needed. You and I may want more than the simple provision. But in gratitude for the simple provision we will find all we need. I have lived on food boxes – It is amazing what you can do with a food box. Do not despise simple gifts.
God sees you….
Ronald Friesen © 2018
