“So Hagar gave this name to the LORD who had spoken to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen the One who sees me!” (Genesis 16:13)
Did anyone ever love Hagar? She was used by Sarah and Abraham to bear them a child. When she had conceived, animosity grew between the servant and her mistress. To escape harsh treatment, Hagar ran away into the desert. “It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.” (Prov. 21:19) There, the angel of the Lord found her, and encouraged her to return.
But the contention would continue with the coming of Ishmael. Sarah eventually bore her own child, Isaac. When Hagar’s boy mocked Sarah’s son, Sarah had enough. “Get her and her son out of here!” she demanded of Abraham. The mistress she had served for years no longer wished to see her face, and didn’t care whether she and her son died in the wilderness.
Abraham was very upset, but after being told by the Lord that they would live and prosper, he sent them both off with some bread and a bottle of water which would soon run out. But Hagar did not share Abraham’s optimism. All she knew is that she was being treated with the utmost callousness, by those who ought to care. And when her fears came to pass, and her son began to die, she could only remove herself from his presence because the pain of watching him suffer was more than she could bear. But once again, when she was at her most desolate, when Abraham and Sarah had seemingly abandoned her to a cruel fate, the God of Abraham and Sarah showed up. Again, when she was all alone in the wilderness – out of every man’s sight and mind – she was found of God, who provided her and her son with a fountain of water.
Did anyone ever love Hagar? Yes. Someone did – the God who saw her – the God who she finally saw. Is no one looking at you? Are you invisible to the world around you? Does no one seem to care? Does anyone really love you? Yes someone does – the God of Abraham and Sarah – the God of Hagar. He saw you from the cross where He hung and died for you. He loved you enough to give His own life for yours. Will you see Him lifted up for your sake? Will you know a love you have never known before? He waits for you to behold His eyes upon you. He has no desire for you to perish, alone and abandoned. Behold Him and live!