Hagar’s Hope (CARDBOARD TESTIMONIES) August 13, 2017 WGUMC Genesis 16 Jeremiah 29:11
By Pastor Shirley Daddario
Families go through troubles. Sometimes we are the cause, sometimes troubles happen. In the book of Genesis in chapter 16 what happened was clear. Abram and Sarai were worn out with worry. Abram’s deepest heart’s desire for heirs wasn’t looking good. God promised them a child, but that was years and years ago. To compound the family troubles, each day that went by Sarai and Abram were getting older. Still God’s promise hadn’t happened. Then it got worse. Sarai’s child bearing years were no longer. They believed God’s promise was not going to happen and there would be no family heirs.
Enters into the family’s story is Hagar, Sarai’s maid servant. So Sarai, not waiting anymore on the Lord and His promises, goes to Abram and says, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go and sleep with my slave. Maybe I can have a family through her.” Abram said, sure, why not…and she became pregnant.
Hagar started looking down on Sarai. Then Sarai went to Abram again and said, “It’s your fault that I’m suffering like this. I put my slave in your arms. Now that she knows she’s pregnant, she looks down on me.” Abram said. “Your slave belongs to you. Do with her what you think is best.” Sarai treated Hagar badly most likely with great injustice, and harsh laborious work, and perhaps verbal abuse better known as bullying. Bullying is serious. It is no laughing matter.
Perhaps some of us here today have been bullied, maybe in your childhood years? I was on the receiving end of bullying, it was called teasing back then. My mother would ask me, (I was in third grade) ”Shirley, where are your glasses?” I told her I lost them. She bought me another pair. Months later, I took a hammer to the lens of my new blue glittered glasses. She bought me another pair. Why do you think I was having so many “misfortunes” with my glasses?
One day, she asked, “Why are your glasses in your sister’s lunch box?” Every day on the bus, I told my sister she could wear them. It seemed like everywhere I would go, in the cafeteria, the hallways, on the stairways, he was there making fun of me. I was desperate. Being bullied drives one to do desperate things. Today’s kids take much more serious measures to get away from bullies.
So Hagar ran away from Sarai. She was pregnant, on foot, in the desert, with a weak plan to go back to Egypt where pagans lived… if she made that long journey. She was feeling desperate. She had nothing but brokenness. Then an angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert. The angel said, “Hagar, you are Sarai’s slave. Where have you come from? Where are you going?” “I’m running away from my owner Sarai,” she answered.
Are we like Hagar? Do we think about walking away, or running away? There could be any number of reasons to run. Marriage is in trouble, divorce ripping lives apart, raw truth, deep guilt, can’t find God, feeling the darkness, feel sad and don’t know why?
Are we run-aways? We must keep our feet steady, on the ground and listen for God, as he has a plan for us. Let Him meet us just as he met Hagar in the desert. Whether it is in communion, or in nature, in prayer, through a co-worker or friend, he wants to meet us. He cares, he wants to help, he is asking, “Where are you going?” God wants to help us to start again, right there in the middle of our tears, in the desert, he wants for us to experience a new life and know the power of resurrection. He promises us in scripture in Romans that he is working something good in us.
Do you know the full story of Sarai? God worked not only good, but fantastic good in her. He blessed her with a child after her childbearing years, after waiting 25 years for His promise to come true. Some part of those years she didn’t wait well. He still blessed her, just as He has blessed us so we can share our great testimony and give him the glory.
Here is what Sarai’s testimony would probably look like.
(I show a poster with one side “Sarai didn’t trust”
And the other side of the poster says, “God is trustworthy”
————————————————–
Here is what Hagar’s testimony at this point of her life might look like. .
(I show a poster with one side says “ slave, bullied, unhappy, no hope”
And the other side of the poster says “God gave her hope.”
————————————————–
Here are some of our brothers’ and sisters’ testimonies.
10 people had posters summarizing their testimony.
We have one more testimony. I think of Jesus’ amazing testimony story. He was rejected, betrayed, tortured and nailed to a cross. For three days, it didn’t make any sense! Even the disciples thought it was over. What a terrible time it was for them. They felt betrayed, they were at their lowest. It turned into the greatest story. A story of love and redemption for the world, and the story continues on throughout history. We now know the purpose of that time in Jesus’ life, it was to save us and have eternal life and give us hope. If we want it. That’s the key. IF we want it! Just ask Him into your life. It is as simple as that!
Poster says, JESUS DIED /JESUS IS ALIVE
FOOTNOTE: In today’s sermon I was inspired and stirred by the writings of: Trevor Hudson in Questions God Asks Us; Mark Barrington in Draw the Circle The 40 Day Prayer Challenge; and Marlo Schalesky in Waiting For Wonder Learning to Life on God’s Timeline.
Old Testament Lesson: Genesis 16
Abram’s wife Sarai had never had any children by him. But she had a female slave from Egypt named Hagar. So she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go and sleep with my slave. Maybe I can have a family through her.”
Abram agreed to what Sarai had said. His wife Sarai gave him her slave Hagar to be his wife. That was after he had been living in Canaan for ten years. Then he slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to look down on the woman who owned her. Then Sarai said to Abram, “It’s your fault that I’m suffering like this. I put my slave in your arms. Now that she knows she’s pregnant, she looks down on me. May the LORD judge between you and me. May he decide which of us is right.”
“Your slave belongs to you,” Abram said. “Do with her what you think is best.” Then Sarai treated Hagar badly. So Hagar ran away from her.
The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert. The spring was beside the road to Shur. The angel said, “Hagar, you are Sarai’s slave. Where have you come from? Where are you going?”
“I’m running away from my owner Sarai,” she answered.
Then the angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to the woman who owns you. Obey her.” The angel continued, “I will give you and your family many children. There will be more of them than anyone can count.”
The angel of the LORD also said to her,
“You are now pregnant and will have a son.
You will name him Ishmael, because the LORD has heard about your suffering.
He will be like a wild donkey.
He will use his power against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will not get along with any of his family.”
She gave a name to the LORD who spoke to her. She called him “You are the God who sees me.” That’s because she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” That’s why the well was named Beer Lahai Roi. It’s still there, between Kadesh and Bered.
So Hagar had a son by Abram and Abram gave him the name Ishmael. Abram was 86 years old when Hagar had Ishmael by him.
Old Testament Lesson: Jeremiah 29: 11-13
“I know the plans I have for you,” announces the LORD. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come. Then you will call out to me. You will come and pray to me. And I will listen to you. When you look for me with all your heart, you will find me.”
Meditations For Your Week
Sunday, August 13-Saturday, August 19
Sunday: “Abram’s wife Sarai had never had any children by him. But she had a female slave from Egypt named Hagar. So she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go and sleep with my slave. Maybe I can have a family through her.” Genesis 16:1-2 God’s Promises is throughout the Scriptures. When have you taken God’s Promises into your own hands?
Monday: “When Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to look down on the woman who owned her. Then Sarai said to Abram, “It’s your fault that I’m suffering like this. I put my slave in your arms. Now that she knows she’s pregnant, she looks down on me.” Genesis 16:4-5 Reflect on how Adam and Eve did the same with fault, blame and mistakes.
Tuesday: “Your slave belongs to you,” Abram said. “Do with her what you think is best.” Then Sarai treated Hagar badly. So Hagar ran away from her. Hagar was running from her problems.” Genesis 16:6 Go to God in prayer with your problems.
Wednesday: “The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert. The spring was beside the road to Shur.” Genesis 16:7 What does a spring of water feel like to you? Take time today and feel the spring of water.
Thursday: “The angel said, “Hagar, you are Sarai’s slave. Where have you come from? Where are you going?” “I’m running away from my owner Sarai,” she answered.” Genesis 16:8 Where in your life is God nudging you to reflect and question where you are going?
Friday: “I know the plans I have for you,” announces the LORD. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come.” Jeremiah 29:11 Are you in complete confidence that God has a plan for you?
Saturday: “Then you will call out to me. You will come and pray to me. And I will listen to you. When you look for me with all your heart, you will find me.” Jeremiah 29:12-13 Call out to God, pray to Him, then listen with all your heart.