God’s ’Faith-full’ Servant- Hagar!!

And He said, Hagar, Sarai“s maid, where did you come from, and where are you intending to go? And she said, I am running away from my mistress Sarai.  (Genesis 16:8)

Hey Neighbor!

Yesterday we unveiled our ‘Faith-full’ Female of the Week – Hagar.

First, I have to say thanks to Beverley, from her blog – ‘Becoming the Oil and the Wine’ for submitting another correct answer to our Super Faith Sunday Challenge- where each week – we highlight 1 ’faith-full’ female from the Bible.

Beverley is 2 For 2!! 💕💕

Thanks so much, Beverley👏👏👏👏

Now when we first meet Hagar she was simply an Egyptian servant girl, gifted to Abram in exchange for Sarai. 

Now this is of course before God sent Abraham (father of a multitude) and Sarah (Princess) down to the Social Security Office to document their official name changes.🤣 (Genesis 17:5, 15)

You do Remember that God changed both of their names, but that’s a story for another day…today we are focusing on Hagar, Abram, and Sarai!!  

Now while Sarai and Abram were temporarily living in Egypt, Pharaoh had taken Sarai into his harem, convinced by Abram that Sarai was nothing more than his beloved sister!!  

I know- Abram and Sarai were ‘extra,’ as the kids like to say!! 😂 

I guess that’s why God changed their names – to settle those two down – Lol! 

So Anyway, Let’s try to stay focused on Hagar- She was a handmaid gifted to Abram in Egypt, as a sort of dowry from Pharoah to Abram, in exchange for Sarai joining his harem. 

She (Hagar) accompanied Abram and Sarai and their caravan of sheep, oxen, he-donkeys, menservants, maidservants, she-donkeys, and camels departing from Egypt…After a plague-afflicted Pharaoh ran them both out of town for their ‘tall tales!’- 🤯I will spill tea on this another day🫖

So at this point Abram remained childless, and Sarai remained barren. 

But Sarai had a bright idea 💡 

She decided to give Abram her Egyptian  Handmaid, Hagar to wife (secondary), in hopes that Hagar would conceive a child by Abram and thus, she would serve as a surrogate mother for Abram’s son and heir.

This was not a God-Approved Idea!! 

Well, Sarai didn’t have to exert too much effort in order to convince Abram to go along with her hair-brained scheme and before you know it…Hagar is pregnant!! 

Now after Hagar conceived, as my mother would’ve said, “Sarai had gotten beside herself!’

She looked down her nose at Sarai- forgetting her place- She was still just a servant and only a secondary wife, but Hagar was exalted in her own eyesight. 

Now when Sarai complained to Abram- the two of them played the blame game for a while- Until a vengeful Sarai, once again takes matters into her own hands. 

Now after being harshly afflicted by a ‘wrath-filled,’ overly-impassioned Sarai, Hagar runs as far as she can from home- hoping to run as far as Egypt!! 

But no matter how far Hagar had attempted to run to get away from Sarai- She could not outrun God!! 

God saw Hagar!! 

And although she felt inclined to run from her mistress, in her self-exalted mindset, God had not approved of Hagar’s misguided departure. 

God spoke to Hagar, calling her, “Sarai’s maid,” Reminding her that for 10 years, she had been blessed and favored in Abram’s household as a servant, until she permitted pride to overtake her. 

The Angel of the Lord admonished her and encouraged Hagar to repent- and to turn away from Egypt, and the Godless, idolatrous lifestyle that she had once known and instead….now take up His yoke of humility and return to her husband Abram, and submit to her mistress, Sarai!  

Trusting that He had seen her tears, and had heard her complaints about her mistress, if she would receive Him as her Lord, He would watch over her and give her a hope for the future and a prosperous outcome for her offspring. 

• See now, you are with child and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Ishmael [God hears], because the Lord has heard and paid attention to your affliction.  (Genesis 16:11)

God had called Hagar out of Egypt for a purpose, and her future was pre-destined for God’s plans and purposes!! 

Hagar Believed God’s spoken promise, taking  hold of it as an undeserved gift!! 

After she had returned to herself, Hagar realized how blessed she had been in God’s presence. The very same God, whom her husband Abram had worshipped daily, He had now seen and acknowledged her- showing His love and concern for her, a lowly Egyptian handmaid. 

In recognition of her transformational encounter with God, Hagar memorialized the well of water where she had met The Angel of the Lord as, ‘Beer-lahai-roi’- A well to the Living One Who sees me (Genesis 16:14)

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Thanks for Stopping By Today and Don’t Forget Tomorrow – Trivia Thirsday!!

Until Then-

God Loves 💕You and So Do I!!

-Tam

Don’t forget to Share The CareBibleStudy Blog with YOUR Family, Friends, Co-Workers and Your Neighbors also –

Loving 💕Them As You Love Yourselves!!

This Too, Shall Pass!!

Whatever You Are Going Through- Walk Through It By Faith and Not By Sight!!

-We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.
(2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

Hey Neighbor,

It’s been said that as We live this life, We will find that We are either going through something, just coming out of something, or about to go through something. For those of You going through something, I would like to Encourage You to Walk through it by Faith and Not By Sight.

Take a Read through 2 Corinthians Chapter 4: Paul tells Us that When we go through life’s tribulations; deterioration of the family, divorce and bitter separations, mental and emotional breakdown, financial woes, physical illness and pain, etc., If we will walk through it trusting in and relying on God, then Our suffering is but a temporary, momentary, affliction…and this too, shall pass!!

No- Our troubles aren’t going to cease when we want them to; it’s not our own timing that’s important, but it’s God’s timing.

-But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. (Psalms 31:14-15)

Paul says that this current suffering that we are experiencing, in the natural will produce great gains for Us spiritually and eternally. So although we are experiencing suffering in this fleshly tent, and these bodies that we live in are dying and deteriorating daily, Paul reminds Us that the inner man- the Spirit Man- is being refreshed and renewed daily!!

Paul encourages Us, as he reminds us that although there is trouble all around Us…As we we walk through with God, He will give Us peace…so we’re not stressed-out. When we are confused and perplexed, He gives us His grace (his kindness, mercy and favor)…so we’re not in despair and left without hope. When we’re persecuted and it seems we’re fighting battles on every hand, Praise God we’re not forsaken or defeated because He causes Us to triumph over Our enemies. Even when we are weak in the knees with fear and we fall down…it’s the Truth of God’s written Word the lifts Us up in Spirit…and it is that Spirit…that Holy Spirit that lives inside of Us…Who seals Us with the Guarantee of an Eternal Life with Jesus and keeps Us alive spiritually…so Our enemy can never destroy Us!!

Thanks for Stopping By Neighbor,

Until We meet Again,

God Loves You and So Do I!!

-Tam

Don’t forget to Be a Blessing…
Share The CareBibleStudy Blog with YOUR Family, Friends, Co-Workers and Neighbors –Loving Them As You Love Yourself!!