Hagar’s story doesn’t take up much space in the Bible, and she may seem insignificant. In many ways, she was insignificant. She was a slave, a foreigner, and an outcast. And yet, she and her son were not insignificant to God.
In Genesis 16, we read that Hagar ran away after being mistreated by her mistress, Sarai. But an angel appeared to Hagar, and while he told her to return, he also had words of comfort. She would bear a son who would become a great nation. The boy’s name was to be Ishmael, which means “God hears” because the Lord had listened to Hagar’s affliction. Hagar then called the Lord “El Roi” which means “God who sees me.” How incredible that even this insignificant slave woman was heard and seen by the Lord. And so are you. The Lord hears you, sees you, and loves you. He sees you, but will you turn to and trust in Him?