Hagar, Treated Unjustly but Seen by GodSample

Hagar knew she was seen by God

“So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen Him who looks after me.’” (Genesis 16:13)

The encounter with the angel, which was in fact an encounter with the LORD God Himself, marked a turning point for Hagar. Amazed, she exclaimed, "Have I seen Him here who has looked upon me?" This woman was granted the privilege of knowing that God had seen her. And that changed her life dramatically. Even though she had to return to Sarai and remain her slave, her outward circumstances hardly changed for the time being. The realization that the Lord God saw Hagar gave her comfort and courage to obey the angel's command. She went back to Abram and Sarai, where her son was born.

We humans like to be seen by others. Compassion does us good. Knowing that others will take care of us when needed gives us peace of mind. Even more important is to be seen by God. This is also at the heart of the blessing God later gave to the people of Israel, which is spoken in many church services:

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26, NIV).

Can you understand why Hagar found it so comforting to be seen by God? Do you have a similar experience?

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