God Sees Me

      By Fern Horst

"And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?" (Genesis 16:13)

"And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer." (Genesis 21:17-20)

Abraham's wife, Sarah, had what she thought was a brilliant idea to fulfill God's promise to her and Abraham that they would have a son. Rather than waiting for God's timetable, she convinced Abraham to conceive a child with her servant, Hagar, so that Hagar could bear a child for them.

But once Hagar became pregnant she became haughty toward Sarah, and in response Sarah so mistreated Hagar that she ran away into the wilderness. There, the angel of the Lord found her and told her to return to her mistress, promising her a future for the child she carried. Hagar was so touched by this encounter that she referred to God as the One who sees her. Although used by her mistress to fulfill her own plans, God Himself was looking over her and came to her personally to reassure her that He had a plan for her and her unborn child.

When she returned to Sarah's household, peace did not reign between them. Likely still feeling used and belittled, Hagar's attitude again turned sour when Sarah gave birth to Isaac. Furious, Sarah demanded that Abraham send her and her son away. With a heavy heart, he did.

This time she ran out of food and water in the wilderness, and her son was close to death. But again God did not forget her. He spoke to her, again assuring her of the plan He had for her son, and then miraculously provided water right there in the wilderness, saving her son's life.

This story has God's redemptiveness and compassion written all over it. Abraham and Sarah stepped outside of God's plan, involving an innocent bystander in their scheme to get what they wanted, without any regard for Hagar as a person. Although it doesn't seem that Hagar's having a son with Abraham was part of God's plan, He did not desert her. God created and loved Hagar as much as he did Abraham and Sarah. When others used her for their own purposes and then rejected her, He reassured her of His love and plan for her and her son, and then fulfilled it.

Hagar was by no means the last person to be used by others, and neither was the she last person that God saw being mistreated and stepped up to her aid. Many individuals have been used by others for their own purposes, and then discarded. Sometimes it's by a spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend, other times by a trusted friend or family member. The shame and rejection that follows can be overwhelming and devastating.

If you are going through such a situation, be assured that God sees you and what you are going through. He loves you and cares about you and will come to your aid as you call out to Him. He will never forget you, never abandon you, never forsake you. He has a purpose and plan for you, and regardless of the actions of others that seem to have destroyed your life, He will fulfill his plan for you.

He is the God who sees you, the God who loves you, and the God who redeems.

© 2007 Fern Horst

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