Hagar was an Egyptian maidservant, and yet her story is so important that she is given the honor of being named in the first book of the Bible.
Hagar escapes and runs away from her mistress who dealt harshly with her. (Genesis 16:6)
You know how you read a story and think, oh yeah this is familiar, I already know that. But I remembered the story all wrong!
I always thought Hagar ran away because Sarai despised her and treated her so terribly...but no!
Sarai became despised in Hagar's eyes. (Genesis 16:4) ...meaning,
Hagar could not stand the sight of Sarai anymore. Hagar was disgusted to even look at Sarai anymore.
Hagar is the one who changed her attitude after she got pregnant with her master's first child.
She was given the honor of being the mother of Abram's first-born son! But instead of being humbled by this honor, she felt entitled to more respect. She was jealous of Sarai and hated her for being the master's wife. She didn't want to be a servant anymore because she's the mother of the master's heir.
So now imagine how Sarai feels as her maid is acting more indignant towards her. So Sarai says to her husband, look at how she is treating me now like she's all high and mighty like she owns the place now! She's not doing her job like she used to and it's all your fault! It's certainly not my fault! How are you and God going to fix this? (Genesis 16:5)
Sarai is the one who came up with the whole plan in the first place, but it's his fault because he heeded the voice of his wife. (Genesis 16:2)
The man is supposed to be the head of the house so he's responsible.
When Adam took the fruit, he sinned because he heeded the voice of his wife instead of doing what God told him to do. (Genesis 3:17)
So Abram told Sarai, She's your problem, you deal with it.
This probably infuriated her to no end that he wouldn't defend her and stand up for her as his wife. So then in her anger, humiliation, and frustration, she takes it out on her maid to try and put her in her place.
If Abram had dealt with the issue himself, maybe Sarai wouldn't have been so harsh with Hagar.
So really, each of the three people involved are all to blame for their own actions.
So when Hagar runs away, probably to go back home to Egypt, God stops her and asks her a question.
***Does God ever ask a question He doesn't already know the answer?***
"Where have you come from, and where are you going?" (Genesis 16:8)
He knows she's running away from a problem, but running back home is not going to solve it.
God says, I need you to go back and face the problem. Not only that, I need you to change your attitude and submit to the authority that I have given. If you obey Me, then I will bless you exceedingly. (Genesis 16:10)
So Hagar says, You see me! God actually sees me!
Hagar's heart was softened because she knew God saw her! (Genesis 16:13)
Dear Lord, please help me to hear you and obey your voice Father God. Please soften my heart and change my attitude. Thank you for helping me to learn something new from a story I thought I already knew. Thank you for teaching me to not take something for granted so quickly but to dig a little deeper. Thank you for helping me to be humble and filling me with your Spirit. Thank you Jesus my Lord and Savior! Amen.
