Seen

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

In this passage She is Hagar, an Egyptian slave belonging to Sarai. She’s the young woman who was handed off to Abram to act as Sarai’s substitute because Sarai couldn’t have children, a la The Handmaid’s Tale. When Hagar became pregnant, she despised Sarai. We aren’t told what form this hatred took, whether she blamed Sarai for the pregnancy, or she sought to usurp Sarai’s place as wife and mistress because she was the mother of Abram’s heir. The latter seems more likely.

Sarai complained to Abram, who effectively said, “Do what you want with her.”  Sarai mistreated Hagar to the point that Hagar ran away. Abram was a patriarch of the Jewish people. God spoke to him. He followed God’s instructions about going to a country he didn’t know, but Scripture shows that he and Sarai were deeply flawed people heavily influenced by the culture around them. We tend to think that the people in the Bible behaved in ways that God approved, but the truth is that the Bible shows people to be as flawed as we are.

So, Hagar ran away, only to be brought up short by an angel of the Lord, who did not ask her what she was doing. He didn’t ask her why she was doing it. He asked where she had come from and where she was going.

Her answer was that she was running away from Sarai. That only answered the “Where have you come from?” half of his question. Was she afraid to tell him her plans? Or didn’t she have any plans beyond getting away? How many times have you wanted to escape somewhere – anywhere that gets you away from whatever situation you’re in? You’d think in this situation, the angel would be more sympathetic, but he not only tells Hagar to go back but to submit to Sarai. He promises her a difficult but positive future. Her descendants would be too many to number, but while her son would break free, he would struggle against those who sought to control him.

Today’s passage is Hagar’s response. She didn’t complain or whine about her circumstances or what she was told to do. She seemed willing to return to Sarai and submit, not that she knew God was aware of the situation, and now that she had assurance that her child would prosper without becoming a sycophant to Sarai or Abram. It’s almost as if the angel was telling Hagar that Ishmael would be her child, not Sarai’s.

But the reason for today’s use of this verse touches on the name Hagar gives God: “The One/God Who Sees Me,” or El-Roi. Children are often described as wanting Mom or Dad to “Watch me!” I can relate to Hagar because my parents made decisions that affected me as if I weren’t a consideration. They believed X needed to be done, so what I wanted or needed no longer mattered, or was included in the conversation. I suspect we all feel taken for granted sometimes. We all want to matter. We all want to be seen.

That’s what Hagar receives. She is seen. God knows what is happening, and He’s in control. His answer may not be what we want to hear, but we are seen and somehow, that means that we matter, even if we have to submit. We aren’t told whether God spoke with Abram or Sarai about the situation. All we know is that Hagar went back, had Ishmael, and continued to live with Abram and Sarai for years. But – she was seen and sometimes, that is bigger than things just working out.