Genesis 16:1-2  Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abraham agreed to what Sarai said.

When we read this portrayal of people, we could pick any of the three characters named and we could empathize with each one. They are as full of faults as any of us. Abram had heard God’s voice and had been given a glimpse of his future. Why did he lose faith? Sarai knew what God had told Abram. Why did she become impatient? Hagar seemed defenseless. Could she have refused to do as she was told and risk losing her job, or did she feel proud to be chosen as her master’s concubine? We don’t know her initial thoughts, but we are told that: “When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.” Pride is sneaky like that. No good can come of it.

Sarai’s response to Hagar’s attitude was swift and unreasonable. She blamed Abram and she wanted Hagar gone. So with Abram’s acquiescence she mistreated her till she ran away.  Now I find myself saying: Poor girl, what a mess?

Is that where you are right now, in a mess that was not entirely of your own making? Life is like that sometimes. The wonderful thing is that God sees you and knows it all. The Angel of the Lord found Hagar and called her by name and gave her instructions and a promise. In response she said: “You are the God who sees me, I have now seen the One who sees me.” Will you acknowledge God right now and ask him to speak into your situation, and will you listen and do what he tells you?