Sarai and Abram were unable to conceive a child after they had been told their descendants would be the same as the number of stars in the sky. Sarai gave her Egyptian maid, Hagar, to Abram to conceive in her place.  After Hagar became pregnant, Sarai resented and abused her.

Hagar fled to the desert. That is where an angel of the Lord found her—in the desert; abused, pregnant and alone. In that time, as a woman and a slave, she had no rights. She had no recourse. Nowhere to go.   

Hagar had nothing to offer to God. She likely had no possessions. No wealth. No status. No one waiting for her back home. God saw her because God sees each of us.  

“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now been seen by the One who sees me.’” - Genesis 16:13

God sees the leader in the board room with the same eyes he sees the person in prison. God came to Hagar because he loved her. God loves each of us with a deep well of love. God loves the person living on the street without a home with the same love he has for a mother tending to her children each day. 

God came to Hagar and God comes to us. God is not looking for our achievements and our accolades. God is not seeking out our worst offense. God sees us simply as God has made us - beloved.  We are wholly and fully loved by God. 

We have not earned love. We cannot lose love. God sees us and God loves us.

Hagar is the first person recorded in Scripture to give God a name. A woman. A slave. Alone in the desert. Alone in the world. 

“You are the God who sees me. I have now been seen by the one who sees me."

Written by Courtney Moore, foster care home developer for Buckner Children and Family Services.

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