Women of God
Hagar-Mistreated

Hagar is a story for mistreated people everywhere. She was the slave of Sarah, given to Abraham as a wife to bear him a son and likely given little choice. When inevitable conflict arose between Sarah and Hagar over her pregnancy (could this ever have gone well?), Abraham all but abandons Hagar. Sarah mistreats her and Hagar flees into the desert while pregnant. How badly does a pregnant woman have to be mistreated to flee into the desert? Perhaps she fled and longed to die.

Lord God, in this story we are about to learn how much you love all people; the enslaved, the abused, the lost, the hopeless. When you say you are close to the brokenhearted, you do not say it lightly. Give me the same heart for all those who suffer. Give me grace, compassion and love. Clothe your church in grace, compassion and love. Help us shine your gospel glory in every land and every dark corner. In my own life, give me endless hope in you and save me from cords of embitterment that seek to bind my joy.

So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”
“Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭16‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬