unrighteous servant-mistreater . After years of infertility , Sarah , then called Sarai , gave her servant , Hagar , to her husband to have a child for her . After Hagar became pregnant , she began to treat Sarai disrespectfully . Then , Genesis 16:6 reads , “ Abram said to Sarai , ‘ Since she ’ s your servant , do whatever you wish to her .’ So Sarai treated her harshly , and she ran away from Sarai .”
As a mom , I know how facing arrogance , disrespect , and belligerence from those who are supposed to be most respectful can make you crazy . I know that feeling of helpless , and the anger that arises because you feel out of control . Maybe you do too .
Sarai was the one who was supposed to follow the God of Abram in a culture that worshiped other gods . She was the one who should have been more righteous , not less . But in her insecurity , her anger , her fear , her pain , her hatred , she failed . And she became an angry , bitter , hateful , hurtful follower of God .
Sometimes we ’ re no different . And , like Sarah , we drive away those we most need near us . And there we are , with our hidden guilt , with our broken mess , with our shattered relationships and lives .
That ’ s when we look for the quick fix , a list of to-do ’ s to make things right . We say , “ I will do x , y , and z and it will all be okay again .” I wish I could offer such a list ! But Sarai ’ s story tells us there is no list , not really . There is no simple plan to make it all better . We know this because Sarai didn ’ t go after Hagar when the servant girl ran away . Abram didn ’ t either . Both seemed incapable of repairing what they had broken . They sat in their tents , with the shards of their hopes , with the weight of their shame , while a woman pregnant with Abram ’ s child ran for Egypt .
Sarai couldn ’ t bring Hagar back . But God did .
God ’ s messenger found Hagar at a desert spring . Hagar had no intention of returning to Sarai . But God saw her , he cared , and he promised to bring blessing from her pain . All he asked was that she return to , and tolerate , the mistress who mistreated her ( Gen . 16:9-11 ).
Hagar returned , not because Sarai had made promises , but because God did .
God restores what we destroy . God brings people back when we cannot . God gave Sarai , and he gives us , another chance to do right .
We sit in our tents with our ruined lives in our hands , and all the while God is going out to restore what we have broken .
He can bring new beauty out of what we ’ ve destroyed .
He can bring blessing out of our belligerence .
He brings Hagar back . He gives us
Sometimes we ’ re no different . Like Sarah , we drive away those we most need near us .
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