The Bible provides us with insight into the character of God. Our perception of God, what God deems good for us, what God gives to us (or takes away) leads us to form an opinion about who God is.

In the relationship between Hagar and God, we learn about four characteristics of God that we must never forget.

1. God Is Present
I’d like to note that the angel of the Lord found Hagar (v. 7). I get why but I feel like we put too much into the idea of us as individuals “pursuing” God. We have to seek God’s face – yes this is true. It is also true that God pursues us. Before we call out, before we recognize the problem, before we realize what we need, God knows. God is present. There are so many times in our life, our world can get so busy, so full of “our things” that it can seem like God is distant or like God does not care. If the devil can convince you that God is an absentee father, the devil can create that separation and destruction. So it is very important that you develop your senses and your ability to acknowledge and become aware of God’s presence.

2. God Is Purposeful
The angel of the Lord asks Hagar a series of questions and provides a plan. The angel of the Lord lays out this wonderful vision for Hagar’s child but she must go back to the very place where she fled affliction and turmoil. It is incredibly challenging when you realize that part of God’s purpose includes willingly accepting harsh treatment from others – especially those who also claim to serve the same God you serve. In God’s plan for Hagar, her children and descendants would be FREE.

3. God Is Personal
Part of what makes Hagar’s story so intriguing is that she was the first person as recorded in the Holy Bible to give God a personalized, customized name. Just to be clear this idea of naming the Lord does not change who God is, it simply illuminates an attribute of God. And the fact that Hagar was bold enough and thoughtful enough shows that she felt and believed in the intimacy of the moment. God wasn’t this distant being. God was personal. This servant or slave woman from Africa decided to memorialize that. She said: “You are a God of seeing.” You see me. Of all people, you, God, Creator of the heavens and earth, you see me. The me who is not deemed worthy. The me who is not valued by others. The me who is so powerless and nameless (Sarai and Abram never called her by name) that I might as well be invisible. You see me.

And then Hagar takes things a step further: I see you. I see what you’re doing. Despite my circumstances and the chaos and the pain, I see you – the One who looks after me.

4. God Is Providential
After Hagar returns to Abram and Sarai, she gives birth to Ishmael. And soon after, God’s promise to Sarai is fulfilled in her giving birth to Isaac. However, the story is not quite over yet. The drama continues, ending with Sarai having Abram kick Hagar and Ishmael out. And in a shocking twist, God tells Abram to go along with it.

Hagar once again finds herself in another wilderness, abandoned and alone, cast aside. With no more water she determines that her child, Ishmael, will die of dehydration and she cries. But God hears and then God opened her eyes to the well of water.

It isn’t explicitly stated here that perhaps the well was always there and in her distress she overlooked it or God may very well have performed a miracle and created a well. We don’t know for sure and it doesn’t matter. The point is: The God who sees us sees to it that we have what we need.