God has a plan...

Read Galatians chapter 4 this week.  Learned something new about Hagar.  Hagar's story is found in Genesis 16.

Hagar - taken advantage of, used, mistreated, rejected, outcast, treated unfairly...

yet: meaning but; but: meaning a U-turn is taking place - But God...

God allowed and she was given an everlasting role in history.

Have you ever experienced what Hagar experienced (listed above)? 

Have you wondered where God was, why God allowed?

Hagar was Sarai's maidservant. (Genesis 16) Sarai had a plan, which her husband Abram agreed to as a human response, involving getting ahead of God's timetable.  When Hagar became pregnant Sarai changed her mind.  She mistreated Hagar to the point Hagar left... alone.  Apparantly on foot.  Alone.

Yet Hagar was not alone. An angel found her. The angel instructed Hagar to go back (U-turn) after assuring her with a promise of many descendants.

The angel told Hagar what to name her son:  Ishmael, which means God hears. (v11) Further, the angel said because "the Lord has heard of your misery,"  i.e. God knows all about you!

Hagar's response:  "You are the God who sees me." (v13)

God hears.  God sees.  God knows what you've been through, what you will go through.  God has a (unexplained) plan for you. (Jeremiah 29:11)  Someday when you look back you may be able to piece together all the dead ends that ended up being better than the path you were on. 

I realized this week when reading Galatians 4:22-26 that Hagar had an everlasting place in history. "Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem."  Mount Sinai where the 10 commandments were given to Moses = Law.

Galatians 4:21-26 references law vs grace.

MacDonald's commentary explains Hagar means "Rock" in Arabic.  The Arabs called Mt. Sinai "the Rock." Hagar represents Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish nation, the center for the unsaved Israelites who were seeking to obtain righteousness through keeping the law. 

On the opposite side are those justified by faith (grace) pertaining to the heavenly Jerusalem. 

Law vs Grace

Salvation is not earned via keeping the law.  Salvation is free via God's gift of grace. 

Hagar represents law, the Jerusalem on earth.

Grace is represented by the heavenly Jerusalem.

I cannot begin to explain all the nuances these two covenants represent - law vs grace, but I can comprehend we have all experienced Hagar at some point in our life. Never forget:  God hears, God sees, God knows.

Jerusalem has special significance in God's plan.  See you there someday in the heavenly Jerusalem.

Hagar's life, through all her injustices, still plays a part in history.  God had a plan.

And God has a plan for all the unfairness you have experienced. 

 

Referencing Mount Sinai above, Exodus 19:4 says

"I carried you on eagles wings

and brought you to myself."

Often the reason we suffer is to grow our faith and trust,

to draw us closer to Christ, our Redeemer, Savior, Comforter...

- - - - -

For another reminder of God sees, God hears, God knows,

read Exodus 3:7-8.

These Old Testament promises

also apply to us today.