BibleProject | Finding God in the Wildernessنموونە

The God Who Sees and Hears You

Hagar is one of the first characters in Scripture to meet God in the wilderness. And it changes her forever. Hagar is an enslaved girl in the home of Abram, later called Abraham, and Sarai, later Sarah. When the couple grows impatient for God to fulfill his promise of a child, they force Hagar to bear Abraham’s child.

When Hagar becomes pregnant, Sarah, in her jealousy, harms her further. So Hagar flees into the wilderness for refuge. Alone and vulnerable, she encounters God, who calls her by name and gives her astonishing promises for her future. Hagar goes from being ignored and mistreated by people to being seen and loved by God. And she becomes the only biblical character to give God a name, El Roi, which means “the God who sees me” (Gen. 16:13).

Hagar returns to Abraham and Sarah for a time. But when Sarah finally gives birth to the son God promised her, she tells Abraham to send Hagar and her son, Ishmael, away. Exiled once again in the harsh desert, Hagar and Ishmael are without water and facing death. But God is attuned to her suffering and need, and he opens Hagar’s eyes to see a well of water nearby, saving both mother and son (Gen. 21:19).

Hagar finds rescue, refuge, and a new identity in the wilderness because that’s where God meets her, sees her, and hears her when no one else does.

Reflection Questions:

• How would you describe the difference between the way Abraham and Sarah “use” the wilderness in Hagar’s story and the way God does?
• Have you or someone you know experienced God’s intimate presence and provision in a time of scarcity or need? How did this shape your relationship with God?