One
of my favorite aspects of Scripture isn't the actual Scriptures; you know the
little clever, inspiring sayings we like to pick from various parts of the
Biblical narrative. It’s true that there are many quaint, yet profound
one-liners in the Bible which we like to recycle in quotes, music lyrics, and in
cute, creative canvases for our walls. While this gives us motivational and
positive reminders throughout the day, we strip the true meaning and power from
these passages. The greatest strength of Scripture and the greatest source of
wisdom within Scripture lie in its narratives. When I turn to Scripture what I
am seeking isn’t some caption you would have better luck finding hanging up on
the wall at the Dentist. I turn to Scripture so I can better understand the
world around me; to relate and to connect. For that you need drama,
conflict, characters, plots, and resolutions. You need stories. There must be a
reason why the Bible isn’t just a collection of do’s and don’ts, rules, and
guidelines. It’s about people, real flesh and blood, and their stories. Their
stories give clarity to my story; to the human experience.
The
best character a Biblical story could supply is the one whose part is skimmed
over really quickly so we can just get to the important part already. They are
the ones we hardly ever pay much attention to and will never be the focus of the
sermon. One of those “secondary” characters is Hagar. Genesis Chapter 16
introduces us to Hagar who, for managing only about a chapter of Bible screen
time, informs us about God and His relationship to His children, even the
“secondary” ones. Hagar is a very unlikely hero in the Hebrew narrative of the
Bible. What’s more is that she is usually overshadowed by the epic of faithful
Abraham and his contriving, cynical wife, Sarah. What makes her so unlikely is
that she is a foreign slave, an Egyptian, in a large household. She is just
another piece of property; a young girl in a patriarchic culture. We are not
sure how Sarai came into possession of Hagar; however, it was common at the time
for young girls to be sold into slavery at a young age by their poor fathers. We
can assume then that Hagar was quite young when she came to be a part of Abram
and Sarai’s household.
At
the time Hagar is introduced into the narrative Sarai is barren, which was a
tragedy to Hebrew women, one that no woman would wish upon her greatest enemy.
Childbearing was one of the few respectable means of attaining status and
security for Hebrew women. Since Sarai cannot have children of her own she
arranges a contract of marriage between Hagar and Abram. As the mistress of
Hagar, Sarai has the right to give Hagar over in marriage to anyone. Abram
agrees to the contract and consummates the marriage ten years later. We can
assume that when the agreement was initially made between Sarai and Abram, Hagar
was not of childbearing age. This means that Hagar was much younger than Abram.
In fact, when Hagar finally did give birth we know that Abram was eighty-six
years old. Hagar was to be used as a means to Sarai’s ends. Hagar was to be
an involuntary surrogate; she would bear the pains and risks of labor but would
receive nothing of the inheritance and prosperity that comes with beginning a
family.
For
a moment, place yourself in Hagar’s shoes and begin to live her story. Most
likely my family sold me into slavery because of our abject poverty. However,
the people who took me in seem reasonable and respectable. Though I am forced to
give up my own cultural customs and adopt theirs, I am treated well; until I
reach puberty. I am then given over in marriage to the old master by my mistress
and am told nothing of what is to happen. I am just doing what I am told, being
obedient as I was taught, but I can’t stand to be used as if I don’t have a life
of my own. It’s as if they don’t care about my desires, dreams, hopes, and
fears, none of it matters. My spirit is inconsequential.
Hagar
was a young girl when she was given over to Abram and was probably green in the
ways of the birds and the bees. I say this because Hagar begins to despise Sarai
only after she discovers that she is pregnant with Abram’s child. It’s as if she
is surprised this would happen after the marriage is consummated. Hagar is
suddenly and unexpectedly struck with overwhelming, life-changing news. A baby
will start to take form inside her womb, a baby that she is responsible for
carrying and ultimately giving life to. This course of events is thrust upon
Hagar who is helpless to stop it. First, she is contracted into marriage without
her consent, as a minor is forced into having relations with a man decades older
than her, and when she becomes distressed by the consequences, is mistreated by
her mistress. Hagar was indignant but courageous. I think Hagar would do what
any brave woman would do in such a situation: run. She risks her life and that
of her unborn child by traversing across deserts in order to escape unjust
treatment.
She
was resting by a spring when the miraculous happens. An angel of the Lord
appears to Hagar. Hagar is given special treatment and is seen as worthy of such
when the angel speaks with her. If you recall, the people in the Bible who
communicate with angels are usually the ones closely connected to Christ and the
Gospel. They are the most famous or infamous characters of the Bible. Yet, here
we see God reaching out to the “secondary” character.
The
angel proceeds to ask Hagar two extremely profound questions; questions that
require soul-searching and vulnerable honesty. “Where have you come from and
where are you going?” Our hero replies without hesitation and is told by the
angel that the Lord has heard of her misery. Hagar is transformed by this act of
unconditional love. The Lord, she claims, is one who sees her, not in the way of
sensing but in the way of knowing. God knew Hagar’s fear, despair, rage,
and powerlessness. God knew her heart and cared for it. Hagar’s son’s
name, Ishmael, becomes a memento of God’s love and attention.
Our
God is a God who sees us, who knows us for who we are and who we are meant to
be. He is never too important and we are never too small for Him to take notice
of our suffering and misery. He doesn’t promise to magically change our
circumstances or to erase all of our hardships but He is always there to give
our souls comfort, healing, peace, and love. He sees through to our heartache
and He listens. God provides us with the hope necessary for our own survival
so that we are not merely living but thriving. The most insignificant of
characters are the ones whom God separates from all else in order to build up
and radically transform.
Hagar
is one of my favorite characters in the Biblical narrative because she reminds
me of the nature of the God I serve. I follow a God who sees me, knows me, and
reaches out to comfort me in my darkness hour. I know that if I hit rock bottom
God will be there, waiting for me. I hope that today you know that you are
loved, that you are seen and truly known. You have not been forgotten,
misunderstood, or ignored. God looks upon all his children, the richest, the
poorest, the ugliest, the most beautiful, the powerless, and the powerful.
Perhaps
we will never witness the presence of an angel, but perhaps our message of the
Lord will be received through a random act of kindness, a burning, bronze
sunset, or an uncommon sense of peace. Perhaps the message is spoken through the
Spirit, which softly calls your name. When your heart beats wildly and your
hands start to shake and sweat as if you are leaning in for your first kiss-
that is the Spirit speaking to you, prompting you. Don’t ignore it because it is
a message for your soul, one that it desperately needs. And the soul will
never stop desperately needing the love of the Father. Hagar was prepared to
answer these two profound questions, where have you come from and where are you
going? I challenge you to do the same. You might see the work of God more
profoundly than you ever have before.
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