Genesis chapter 16 tells the story of Hagar. Abram and Sarai had not been able to conceive children, so Sarai told her husband Abram to take her servant Hagar with the hopes that they’d have some children through her. Abram took Sarai’s advice and Hagar conceived. When she realized that she was pregnant she started to look down on Sarai. Sarai got angry at Abram for what he did, and he told her to do as she liked with Hagar; so Sarai was harsh with her and Hagar fled.
While Hagar was on the run, the angel of the Lord found her. He told Hagar to return to Sarai and submit to her, and that her son would become a multitude of people. She called the name of the Lord “You are a God who sees me.”
I’m assuming Hagar obeyed because she went back and bore Abram a son named Ishmael. What a hard thing this must have been for her. Her mistress gives her to her husband to have a child. Then that same mistress treats her harshly when she’s pregnant with his child, so she runs away. God finds her and tells her to go back, and submit to Sarai, the person who was harsh with her.
Who would want to do that? And yet, when God told her to do it, she isn’t recorded as complaining about unfair treatment, but she praises Him for being the God who sees her. He sees her situation and loves her so much that He came to talk to her and tell her what she should do in that moment. It was not the easiest thing. It probably wasn’t the thing she was hoping for, but it was what God was calling her to do.
When God told her to submit to Sarai, the first thing she needed to do was submit to Him. She needed to humble herself before Him, to say “I will trust you; I will do things your way.” I think, because she saw Him as the God who sees her, knows her situation, and loves her, she was able to do just that. And then she was able to come humbly before Sarai and submit to her as well.
So what about us? Do we see God calling us to do something we don’t want to do? Something that just seems to hard? He is the God who sees us. He knows what we’re going through and will be there with us. He may not speak to us in an audible voice, but He speaks to our situations through His Word. Are we willing to humble ourselves before Him and submit to His will, or continue to strive to do things our own way? Choosing to let Him lead is hard, but it’s going to bring us into closer relationship with the One who sees us.
I’m praying for you all as you read this. I would love to pray for your situation specifically, so if you feel the need, please leave a comment or message us on Facebook. May God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and give you peace.
