How Hagar Becomes a Signpost of Grace

Have you ever attempted to accomplish God’s plans through your own efforts and failed miserably? I’m sure Hagar would be able to relate to that type of scenario.

Hagar’s story can be read with contempt when all we see is Hagar’s striving to fulfill God’s promise. When we read how Hagar is thrust out of Abraham’s home, we tend to oust her from our thoughts as being ‘less than’ or ‘not enough’ in God’s eyes. As if her story is tainted too much to be redeemed.

Digging Deeper

On the other hand, as we dig deeper, we will find that God’s loving compassion is extended to Hagar.  She becomes a signpost of grace in our world today where striving for acceptance with our own efforts is all too prevalent. Hagar points forward to a time when God’s grace is showcased in the person of Jesus. Jesus comes to remove the bondage of keeping the law by human effort.

After Hagar’s first headlong rush into the wilderness, (read about it here) she returned to Sarah and Abraham, whom she served for thirteen more years. (Genesis 17:25)  In those beginning years, Hagar, more than likely, let God govern her life. Who wouldn’t after being seen and heard by the Almighty God? However, life has a way of lulling us back into old habits, if we do not remain vigilant.

The three characters in this Biblical account messed up royally when they attempted to bring about God’s promise of a son for Abraham. Yet, God’s compassions did not fail to reach out and redeem the mess that had been made. (Lamentations 3:22)  God’s compassions are for us who have tried and failed.  There is no lack of proffered mercies when we humbly cry out to God in our failures.

The celebration day for Isaac, the son of promise, precipitated the severing of Hagar and Ishmael from the camp of Abraham.  It was with a heavy heart that Abraham supplied Hagar with a satchel of provisions and a flask of water. Then Hagar and Ishmael were sent away. (Genesis 21:8-14)

Dreams Depleted

Tears stung Hagar’s eyes as the wind whipped the desert sand about her.  It wasn’t the stinging sand that caused the tears to fall, but the bitter taste of failure and defeat. Without a plan and without a destination, mother and son wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. Her actions of yesteryear had been to no avail.  All Hagar’s attempts to bring about the son of promise had come to nothing.

Her dreams were but sand in the wind. Moreover, with the food and water gone, death was imminent.  Ishmael succumbed to weakness from the lack of water and nourishment. A scraggly bush provided a bit of shade from the blazing sun and there Hagar laid Ishmael. She had no other recourse and no further resources. 

A hundred yards away, Hagar sank to the ground, not noticing the scorching heat of the sand. It was the scalding tears and heart wrenching sobs that drained the last of her energy, as hopelessness engulfed her.

Have you tried and tried to get it right? To cross all your t’s and dot all your i’s in hopes that acceptance would come? Furthermore, have you been Hagar trying to be enough in yourself?  Hoping that your actions were sufficient to merit the prize only to end up in hopeless defeat?

It was here at the end of herself, where only death awaited her, that God stepped in with His abundant mercy and compassion. Hagar had forgotten that God sees, even in the darkest valley. It was with a question, an assurance and a right perspective that God stepped into Hagar’s story and changed the ending.

Provision for Hagar

“And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is….And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water and gave the lad drink.”

Genesis 21:17 & 20

God comes in our greatest extremities to help us to understand what is wrong, to assure us that we have no reason to fear because God hears our prayers. Furthermore, God opens our eyes to His provision, even in the wilderness.

In that wasteland, where no water was, God provided a well.  Water was given to provide life for Hagar and her son.  How many times are we like Hagar and strive to work out the details of our life to no avail?  It is only when we humble ourselves and acknowledge our complete inadequacy that God in His compassion steps in.  He opens our eyes to see the Well of Living Water.  The One who came so we would never spiritually thirst.

God’s Provision for You

Hagar’s story ends there in the pages of Scripture, but she becomes a signpost of grace that points us to the way of Spirit-filled living.  Hagar was unable to gain God’s favor by providing a son by her actions instead of by faith. Similarly, we cannot find approval by our endless lists of actions that we hope will make us Christlike.  Our striving is futile.  It is only as we accept, by faith, God’s provision of Jesus, that salvation will come. 

We then must continue to live by the power of the Holy Spirit.  There is a daily walking. We must drink from the well of God’s provision.   It is a life of staying in tune with God, learning to hear His whisper and letting Him form our actions and reform our habits. 

The Spirit’s power is to be our only recourse. He is the one to produce the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in our lives, as our will is surrendered.

Self-striving or Spirit-living

There is no benefit in the keeping of the law in our own strength.  It is only through the power of the Spirit in us that we can be formed into God’s image.  Yes, we are to “add to our faith” by focusing on the areas of growth that the Spirit has helped us to perceive. However, this addition to our faith only comes as we subtract our efforts, without the Spirit’s empowerment, as inadequate. This understanding is the difference between inadequate human effort and faith in God’s adequacy. Self-striving and Spirit-living are never compatible.

As we linger in God’s Word our eyes are opened to the actions that need to be reckoned with.  It may be a lifetime habit that needs changed, a sharp tongue that needs tamed, a lazy spirit that needs rousted, a gentle spirit that needs cultivated, or a host of other situations that the Spirit will work with us to hone.  In every instance, as we choose to surrender our will to His, we are then enabled to add to our faith as we work out God’s design for our life.

Galatians and Hagar

The book of Galatians is a letter written by Paul, outlining the difference between Spirit-filled living and human effort.  Moreover, Hagar’s story is illuminated as Paul reminds us of how her human attempt to fulfill God’s promise went completely wrong. 

Hagar’s actions, along with Sarah and Abraham’s, have become a blaring warning against salvation by effort.  In fact, there is nothing that we can do to earn God’s love and gain a heavenly address.  It is only through faith in the provision of Jesus that brings complete deliverance.

Dependence on our own effort will lead us to aimless wanderings in the wilderness, with death imminent. However, just as Hagar did, we must cry out to God with a humble heart, confessing our sin and inadequacy.  When we have no recourse, God will open our eyes to His Resource; Jesus the Living Water.

God’s Abundant Grace

Instead of seeing Hagar through the lens of disdain because of her part in the human effort fiasco, adjust your vision to see how Hagar becomes God’s signpost of grace for each of us.  When we are struggling with our value and identity, which tends to lead us to the wilderness of effort, cry out to God for the grace needed to perceive God’s gracious provision by faith.  Just as God stepped into Hagar’s story and changed the ending, so God can step into ours with abundant grace.

To summarize, the life with Christ that is began in faith, must be continued by walking in faith. We must guard against returning to human efforts in an attempt to stay righteous. Most importantly, we must recognize that the result of growth in a righteous life, is only through faith as we walk in step with the Spirit.