It is amazing how we can deceive ourselves into thinking that God is detached from us and not realizing who we are and what is going on in our lives. If it were not for the Bible and its truths about God, we would be adrift in an ocean of religious thoughts and feelings and end up making a God in our own image. But the God of the Bible is the real God and His attitude towards us really is as the Bible describes. He is a God who sees us. A God who knows us, understands us, who comprehends our motivations and what makes us tick.
There was a woman in scripture named Hagar. She was the maid of a woman named Sarah and pregnant by Sarah’s husband. Sarah, although she had given Hagar to her husband so a child could be conceived, was now jealous and furious with her. She tormented her cruelly, so much so that Hagar ran off into the desert. There in the desert, stranded, alone, and pregnant, God “saw” Hagar and spoke to her.
Now the angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” Moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they shall be too many to count.” – Genesis 16:7-11 (NASB)
Return???!! To Sarah?? Return to the problem that was so bad it was making her life miserable? God said, “Yes, return”. Here is a life principal that many people miss and because they do, they miss the blessing and favor of God.
God told her to return and there in the midst of her horrible problem, “I will bless you and your family”. You see, we always want the path of least resistance. We think that the blessing of God is where we can “see” the “good life”: raises on our job, beautiful children who don’t need braces, perfect spouses, rich friends who never have problems, fat bank accounts, and a place where everyone likes us. But that is not how He works. If you run from your problem, you are also running from His provision and blessing.
Hagar responded to God.
Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “Thou art a God who sees”, for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?” – Genesis 16:13 (NASB)
This woman was wise. She obeyed and began to call upon the Lord. Often times, people disobey and call upon the loan company. Or they call upon someone who will sympathize with them and tell them what a rotten deal they have gotten out of life. They call on the bartender, “Just one more round, then I’ll feel better.” You won’t. You will feel a hangover, a loss of the money you spent there, and in the morning you still have the problem!
No, the answer is not to run from the problem, but to begin to call on the Lord to help you.
There are some very religious people I am sure who would say that you should not call on God to help you work out your problems, you should do things yourself. Very religious indeed, but wrong. The whole passion of the Bible is showing men and women who were in great trouble and called upon the God of heaven. When they did, even in the midst of their trouble, God answered them. It is even a commandment!
And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” – Psalm 50:15 (NASB)
When a person says, “I’ve never asked God for anything, I’ve just worked things out myself.” That makes them look good. But when someone calls on the Lord in the midst of trouble, and He answers them and helps them, it makes Him look good!
The famous prayer of Jabez show us this principal.
Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that Thy hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldst keep me from harm, that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested. – 1 Chron. 4:10 (NASB)
Hagar went back to the place of her trouble and faced it, all the while calling upon the Lord. And the Lord blessed her greatly. He will do the same for you.