Genesis 16:7 – 17:4

⁷ The angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.

⁸ And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.”

⁹ The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.”

¹⁰ The angel of the LORD also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered by reason of their greatness.”

¹¹ And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and will give birth to a son. You will call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction.

¹² He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell as enemy of all his kinsmen.”

¹³ So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who always sees me.”

¹⁴ Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it is located between Kadesh and Bered.

¹⁵ And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

¹⁶ Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael for Abram.

^17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared again to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be irreproachable,

² so that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”

³ Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him,

⁴ “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you will be the father of numerous nations. _________________________________________

Return and submit

The LORD’s message to Hagar was not one that any of us like to hear. He knew that she was in an unbearable situation, and that it was not all her fault. Sarai had asked her to marry Abram, and had hoped that she would give birth to the son she longed for. She did it, and then things got bad. So, she decided to run. It was maybe not the best choice – since it meant leaving Abram too, but she had made it of her own free will. Now, God meets her, and tells her to go back to the situation she had just escaped from. He tells her to return and submit to Sarai. He lets her know that he knows her situation, and that he is going to fulfil his promise to her – not by allowing her to escape it – but by walking with her as she experiences it.

Perhaps the LORD’s present plan for you is going to involve an unbearable situation. Consider the possibility that he may ask you not to escape it, but to allow him to turn it into a blessing.

LORD, give us wisdom to know when you want us to run, and when you want us to stay and submit, and trust.