QUO WADIS

Greetings to my dear sisters in Christ. May the Lord bless you, guide you and give you abundant wisdom to face the challenges of every day life. Almost a decade back, I have penned through this column a message titled “quo wadis” ( where are you going ?). This is based on a proverbial conversation between the risen Lord Jesus and Apostle Peter who is leaving Rome fearing the severe persecution. Lord, where goest thou ? The Lord replies that he is going to Rome to be crucified again, this time in the place of Peter ! Peter  immediately ran back to Rome to be crucified upside down and showing the love of Jesus on his persecutors.

This time I was tempted to have the same title as I was going through the life of Hagar, an ordinary slave woman, but mother of the valiant Ishmael in whose tribe princes would be  born later. Hagar comes into the family of Abraham probably during his brief sojourn in Egypt during the period of famine It is written that the Pharaoh, hearing about the beautiful Sarai, took her into his palace, but afflicted by God, returned her back. During the course of this time, the great Pharaoh treated Abraham well for her sake . He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants , female donkeys and camels. ( Genesis 12 : 16). When he returned from Egypt, Abram (Abraham) was very rich in live stock, in silver and in gold. Hagar may be one among the slaves.

The name “Hagar” itself means “flight” “ stranger” an allegory of an afflicted person. Some Rabbinical traditions place her as the daughter of Pharoah who gave her as a gift to Sarah. But we can assume that Hagar was the most trusted lady of Sarah as she gave Hagar to her husband to obtain children by her ( Genesis 16:2). Hagar being an alien slave and handmaid, far away from home had no choice in this matter. Abraham who received blessing and assurance from the Lord that the one who will come from your own body shall be his heir ( Genesis 15:4 ). The Lord had already commanded that man and wife will be one flesh (Genesis 2:4). I am sure that God meant only Abraham and Sarah together when he blessed him. It is stated that,  Abraham believed in the Lord ; and He accounted it to him for righteousness”, we do not know the feelings of Abaraham , but he obliged his wife’s request silently. The fall of Hagar starts at this moment when  she despised her mistress once she was conceived . As the helpless Abraham watching, Sarah drove away Hagar from home. True to her name Hagar went into the wilderness of Shur.  

Then, something wonderful happened amidst this misery. The Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness. ( Genesis16:7). In the old testament, wherever the phrase “ Angel of the Lord’ appears, it is generally accepted that it is referring to our Lord Jesus Himself. Hagar became the first person to have an audience with Jesus in history. What an abounding grace of the Lord ! To find an abandoned woman in the wilderness in her lowest ebb of life, grieving and not knowing where to go: a perfect destitute, carrying a child. The Lord commanded her to go back and submit to her mistress. The Lord also blessed her. Hagar did a wonderful thing now : She praised the name of the Lord and called Him “ The God who sees me” ( El Roi) . To bless the name of the Lord is to worship Him. Even the well where she was sitting was called “ Beer Lahai Roi”. Two things striking about Hagar here is that : she recognized the Lord who was speaking to her; she immediately obeyed Him and returned to her mistress: All her misery was gone from the heart and she praised the name of the Lord. For she asked herself : “ Have I also here see Him who sees me ? “ ( Genesis 16:13). Abraham was eighty six  years old when Ishmael was born.

The wheels of time passed by. Fourteen years  later, when Abrham was one hundred years old, Isaac was born. What a joy !  As the child grew, and started playing with his elder brother Ishmael, Sarah noticed that Ishamel was “scoffing”. ( Genesis 21:9). Now “scoffing” is a serious thing of showing contempt by derisive act or language. Spoilsport. Fearing for Isaac’s well being , again Hagar is driven away once again. Earlier she went out of persecution and now literally by the head of the house, Abraham. As I heard in one of the sermons that, for a very rich man like Abraham, he sent Hagar with her little son with only bread and a skin of water. But I found a little secret here that God’s blessing is much more than man’s blessing. We read that God promised Abraham that He will make out a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is Abraham’s son ( Genesis 21:13).

History repeats itself. This time Hagar could not find any stream or well and tired, exhausted , thirsty Hagar finally gave up. After placing the young boy under the shadow of a shrub, she sat a little far away, not wishing to see her boy die !  And she burst out in sorrow !. But it is written that “ And God heard the voice of the lad”. (Genesis 21:17). Our God is a loving God. It is written : “ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water”. (Genesis 21:19). Even though she has wandered aimlessly in the wilderness, each time she ended up near a stream, life giving water. Only the second time she did not see until the Lord opened her eyes. Rest is history as to how Ishamel became an archer and Hagar brought an Egyptian woman as his wife. The tribe of Ishmaelites was born.

As I was meditating this oft read passages, what struck me was how dumfound we are to miss out so many intricacies and the strong hand of the God in everything we do and don’t do. He is with us in our homes, in the wilderness, even while driven out and running to nowhere or totally exhausted and give up in the wilderness. The Lord’s grace is abounding as ever. Each time He leads me beside the still waters. Because I am his sheep. The master knows His sheep and the sheep know the voice of their Shepherd ! He gives us the living water.

My dear sister, I do not know in what state you are reading this message. Whatever, in joy or in sorrow, even while you are abase or in riches, be rest assured that the Lord who is your God never slumbers. He is with you. Today and forever.

Prayer :

Dear Lord,

Thank you for being our Lord, Our Father, Abba , the Father. Thank you for our God who sees us. Please make us always to listen to your voice and remain in Your herd only and be fruitful.

We ask this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

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