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Have you ever wished you could just run away? Ever wanted to be done with the hardships you’re facing? We read in Scripture of a woman who didn’t just want to run – she did it!
In Genesis 16 we read about Hagar, a woman who was caught in a difficult situation. There is a struggle happening because Sarai had gotten impatient with God as she waited for Him to give her and Abram a son.
What do we often do when we get tired of waiting? Improvise!
We cannot mix faith and flesh. Warren Wiersbe
Sarai put her plan into action by coming to Abram and telling him to take Hagar as his wife so she can have a child through her. In those days, this would be a kind of surrogacy. The child would be born to Hagar, but would belong to Sarai. What’s so startling is that Abram does it! He never questions her. But by her scheming, Sarai is plucking her house down with her own hands. This is a sin of unbelief. This is also a sin against their marriage.
The result of her plan also brings some bad feelings in this mixed up situation. Hagar despised Sarai because she could not bear a child. Scripture tells us in John 6:63, that the flesh profits nothing, but the scary side of this is that it can produce something! Doing things in our flesh may get us what we’re wanting, but we may be very sorry that we got it! You see, whenever a woman attempts to do her own will, it’s going to be a miserable failure – or maybe even worse, it will be a miserable success!
When we don’t like what’s happening, isn’t it easy to try to manipulate the circumstances and people in our lives? We think of a plan that can change things. Sarai did this, but the results aren’t what she thought they would be. She is treated with little respect from Hagar. This is so typical of what happens in family squabbles. If Hagar had handled this with humility, perhaps things would have been different. In response, Sarai treated Hagar “roughly.” This is as ugly as it sounds.
How would Hagar be feeling right now? Perhaps –
- Alone
- In Despair
- Rejected
- Cast out
- That nobody cares or understands
When we get to a point like this, it’s easy to listen to the accusations of the devil who might say,
“If God really cared for you, He wouldn’t allow this to happen. Where is God in this?! You should just run away!”
Hagar was feeling this way, and she listened to these lies, and she did it – she left! However, when she ran, she was found by the LORD! How merciful He is! This is the Jehovah of the Old Testament – Jesus in the New Testament! He is the self-existent One, the Covenant-keeping God, the God Who sees. He found and met with Hagar in her desperation! Imagine that!
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If you’re in a place where you’re wondering where God is, and why He has allowed your difficulties to happen, know that He sees you, as He did Hagar. He is pursuing you, directing every detail of your life. Though the hard things happen, He is there with you and wants to comfort you with His presence. Rather than running in your wilderness, allow the Lord to speak His truth to your heart. He sees you. He cares. He is with you. He can make something beautiful of this mess!
Next week we’ll continue the story, but in the meantime, recognize Christ’s presence with you and let Him comfort and guide you. It’s the only way you’ll be refreshed.
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