Hagar, Treated Unjustly but Seen by GodSýnishorn

God was interested in Hagar’s experiences

“The angel of the Lord found her [Hagar] by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, ‘Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?’” (Genesis 16:7-8)

Hagar had fled from Sarai, and there she was at a spring in the wilderness. All alone, pregnant with her master’s child, she must have felt vulnerable and helpless.

In this situation, “the angel of the Lord found her.” A heavenly messenger spoke to Hagar. From the way he addressed her, it became clear that he knew who she was. And yet he asked for her own account of events. He encouraged her to tell. This angel of God was interested in the experiences of a common slave!

This reminds me of another story, where the prophet Elijah fled from queen Jezebel. He also ran off into the wilderness. When he finally reached Mount Horeb, “the word of the Lord came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” (see 1 Kings 19:9). Of course, God knew exactly what Elijah was doing and thinking. But He wanted His servant to speak his mind and to reflect on his own behavior.

The Lord God is interested in ordinary humans like you and me. Do you share your thoughts and emotions with Him? What does that mean to you?