It can be really hard to imagine that God, the Almighty Great I AM, has time to care about when we go through difficult times. I mean, surely He is more pre-occupied with what is going on in the world, in other countries, and other people's lives. He has so much to deal with - wars, famine, abuse, murders, the climate crises; souls going to hell???
Seriously, how could He possibly notice when our hearts are breaking because we can't get our children to listen; we are exhausted because all we're doing is running around making everyone else happy; we don't have enough money to pay the rent, or someone close to us is sick. What about when we're just sad and no one bothers taking note and because we don't have a choice, we just keep on juggling all those balls?
Does God Even Notice?
I'm here to tell you that He does. God loves you so much that He sees it all. Jesus would've died that gruesome death on the cross if you were the only one left on earth needing salvation. And better yet, He gave you the Holy Spirit as your friend, so that you never have to go through life all on your own. (John 14:15-21)
How Do We Know God Sees & Regards Us?
Hagar is most probably not someone we consider too much as we are always drawn to the accounts of Abraham and Sarah and their journey of faith.
(In Gen 17:1-10 - God makes a covenant with Abram and changes his name to Abraham, meaning the 'father of many nations' and changes Sarai's name to Sarah meaning the 'Mother of nations'. Gen 17:15-16)
Who is Hagar?
Because Sarai was barren, she tells Abram to marry Hagar, their Egyptian maidservant, and to have children by her. Abram agrees and Hagar gives birth to his first son, Ishmael and because of this Sarai is despised in the eyes of Hagar. Sarai deals harshly with her, and Hagar flees.
Read Genesis 16:1-16
BUT GOD!
Gen 16:7 - The Angel of the Lord finds her by a spring and she explains her situation and the Angel encourages her to return to Sarai and gives her a promise that her descendants will be too numerous to count.
Gen 16:13: 'Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You are the God Who Sees; for she said, 'Have I also here seen Him who sees me?"
Again in Gen 21:14-20 - when Abraham sends Hagar and her young son, Ishmael into the wilderness, God hears her cry and opens her eyes so that she may find the well of water.
Hagar was not of the chosen covenant of Israel. She was not of high esteem or stature that she would be noticed.
That did not matter to God. He saw her and She saw Him.
There are many other accounts where God sees and hears the cry of a women's heart and here are a few examples:
- 1 Sam 1:9-19 He sees and hears Hannah's cry for a son when she is weeping in the temple.
- Mark 5:25-34 The women with the issue of blood. Everyone is pushing, pulling and thronging around Jesus and I love the NKJV version of verse 32: 'And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.'
- John 8:1-11 The woman caught in the act of adultery. Jesus does not condemn her for her sins, but rather calls out everyone else who does and instead defends her and encourages her to sin no more.
- John 4:1-26 Jesus speaks to the woman at the well in Samaria. Because of her background and lifestyle, she was not someone people cared much about. But Jesus does.
- John 19:25-28 Jesus, just being crucified on the cross and experiencing his own physical and spiritual anguish on the cross, notices his mother grieving and asks the beloved disciple John to look after her. This completes the circle of His ministry on earth, making all who gathered around Him a family.
Most of the women who Jesus encountered on His journey and who God called to make an impact in the world, didn't necessarily have a social standing in society. Some, sadly, didn't even matter and were seen and treated as outcasts in their own home towns. No one cared for them. One was a slave. One was 'sick' with blood, making her unclean and not welcome amongst people. One was a prostitute and another lived a questionable lifestyle.
You may feel like you don't matter in your home town. Maybe you are not educated, or you don't come from wealth, or you have a physical disability. Maybe you're a single mum with three kids, or married and being abused by the person who is meant to protect and love you. You may be ignored by the mums on the school playground and you may feel like you are not worthy to be loved. Whatever the reason, I'm here to tell you that you do matter and you do have worth.
God sees you. Just like He saw each of these women in the bible. Just like He saw me in my weakest, most vulnerable and sin-ridden life many years ago.
He saw me. He changed me and He called me. Jer 29:11
He sees you and He loves you.
You are Loved, Chosen and Redeemed.
Stay Blessed & In Him
CNic
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Our Prayer For You
Father we pray that our friend reading this will know that she is seen by You. We pray that You shower her with your love, favour, grace and mercy. May she always know that you are near and that you see her and hear her cries. Give her Your peace in whatever situation she may be facing right now and give her the wisdom and guidance she needs to take the next step, knowing that she does not do it on her own or in her own strength.
Thank you for loving her and sending Your Son, Jesus, to die for her. Thank you for raising Him up again, setting her free from bondage and sin. Thank you For your grace and loving kindness.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
You are loved, chosen & redeemed.
Stay blessed & In Him
CNic x
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