READ GENESIS 14:1-16:16

HAGAR WAS RUNNING AWAY. A YOUNG EGYPTIAN WOMEN, SHE WAS MAIDSERVANT OF ABRAM'S WIFE SARAI. BECAUSE SARAI WAS BARREN, SHE GAVE THE GIRL TO HER OWN HUSBAND IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN HEIR. WHEN HAGAR BECAME PREGNANT, SHE BEGAN TO TREAT SARAI WITH CONTEMPT. SARAI RESPONDED BY ABUSING HER, AND HAGAR ESCAPED INTO THE WILDERNESS.

SHE WAS NOT ALONE. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD FOUND HER AT A ROADSIDE SPRING AND ASKED HER WHERE SHE WAS GOING. HAGAR ADMITTED THAT SHE WAS RUNNING AWAY FROM SARAI. INSTEAD OF SYMPATHIZING WITH HER, THE ANGEL TOLD HE TO GO BACK WHERE SHE CAME FROM, AND TO SUBMIT TO SARAI. HOWEVER, HE GAVE HER THE PROMISE OF NUMEROUS DESCENDANTS. THIS VISITATION HAD A LARGE IMPACT ON HAGAR: 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)

GOD SEES EACH OF US, AND HE KNOWS THE SITUATIONS IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES. WE CAN TRUST HIM TO TAKE CARE OF US!

PRAYER SUGGESTION: GOD, YOU SEE ME. YOU ARE WAITING TO MAKE SOME DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE INTO A HOLY PLACE.

DAILY PRAYER EMPHASIS: STATE GOVERNMENT LEADERS