Meditations on Healthy Living

(Lessons from Hagar)

Genesis 16:7-9, 13 The angel of THE LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert: it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. And HE said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going? “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered…. She gave this name to THE LORD who spoke to her: “You are the GOD who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen THE ONE who sees me.”
[New International translation]

Genesis 21:15-19 When the water was gone, she [Hagar] left the child [Ishmael] beneath a bush and went off and sat down a hundred yards or so away. “I don’t want to watch him die,” she said, and burst into tears, sobbing wildly. Then GOD answered the lad’s cries, and the ANGEL OF GOD called Hagar from the sky, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Don’t be afraid! For GOD has heard the lad’s cries as he is lying there. Go and get the boy and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.” Then GOD opened her eyes and she saw a well…. [New International translation]

HAGAR
Life Before the Trial –
My name is Hagar. I am Egyptian—from Africa¹ (Genesis 16:1). I am also a slave, a servant to Sarai, an older woman who is married to Abram. In Egypt, there are many gods. My mistress and her husband Abram serve one GOD. I often hear them speaking about how their GOD will make them a great nation. I listen, but these things did not affect me, until one day they did.

After many years of living with Abram and Sarai and Sarai remaining barren (which has always been viewed as a sign of “disfavor” among women, just as fertility is viewed as a “honor,”), my mistress Sarai summoned me. She decided to make me a “second wife” or “surrogate” so that Sarai could have children through me (Genesis 16:1). Abram agreed. And, I soon became pregnant. I must admit that I became very proud. I strutted my pregnancy and even looked down on my mistress, who became very angry. In fact, she beat me!

I was so angry at being beaten I just ran. I had no plan, no money, no place to go. I just ran.

My Trials
When I stopped running, I was at a desert spring along the road of Shur. I was distressed. Again, I had no plan. I was by a spring when an angel found me. The angel knew my name and asked, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” All I could say was that I was running away from my mistress, Sarai. The angel told me to return to my mistress and to act appropriately. The angel told me that my baby would be a boy and that I was to name him “Ishmael,” which means ‘GOD hears” because GOD had heard my woes! I was told that my son would be “a wild one—free and untamed as a wild ass!” I was told the child will be against everyone and everyone will feel the same toward him. I was told I would be the mother of a great nation (Genesis 16:8-12). I then realized that all of this was from GOD, the LORD. I realized that unlike the Egyptian gods, who are statues, but do not see, here was a GOD who saw me and that I saw GOD in the form of an angel and lived to tell about it! I later called the well where I was “The well of the LIVING ONE WHO SEES ME!” This was my first introduction to GOD. I did as GOD told me and returned to my mistress and gave birth to a son, Ishmael.

GOD not only blessed me with a son but blessed Sarai and Abram with a son too! Abraham was about 100 (Genesis Genesis17:1)! Sarai was about 90 or 91(Genesis 17:17)! Abraham and Sarah (GOD changed their names) had a son who GOD named “Isaac,” which means “laughter” (Genesis 17:19).

My son Ishmael was the cause of our second trial. Ishmael was teasing and mocking Isaac when Sarah became angry. Now that Sarah had “a child of her own,” she wanted nothing to do with Ishmael, who Sarah now considered “my son—the Egyptian slave girl’s child.” She wanted nothing to do with us and certainly didn’t want “my son” to inherit along with “her son,” Isaac. So, Sarah demanded that Abraham “get rid of us.” Abraham did. One morning, Abraham strapped some bread and a bottle of water on my shoulder and sent me and Ishmael away! We hiked into the wilderness---wandering aimlessly. When the water ran out, I left Ishmael under a bush, because I didn’t want to watch him die, and went a few feet away and burst into tears! I sobbed wildly. Ishmael was crying too! Once again, I was reacting to my immediate circumstances. All I could see was desert. I felt hopeless. My fears (about dying in the desert, about having no place to go, about my whole predicament) were consuming me.

Again, suddenly the Angel of GOD called out. The Angel told me GOD had answered Ishmael’s cries (. The Angel told me: “Don’t be afraid!” Then the Angel told me that GOD would make a great nation from Ishmael’s descendants (Genesis 21:18). Then GOD opened my eyes and when I looked around me, I saw a well (Genesis21:19). Ishmael and I drank and then everything turned out fine!

How I Got Through It
When I look back, there is no doubt GOD not only “came through” for me and for Ishmael, but it is amazing that GOD “came through” despite all my faults and my tendency to “focus on the wrong thing.” My first trial showed “my nature.” When I was beaten, when I was upset, I just ran. I just reacted emotionally to my situation. As the angel of GOD pointed out in our very first encounter, I had no response to the question “where was I going?” because I didn’t know where I was going. I was just “reacting emotionally” to my circumstances instead of having a solution to my problem.

Even when I had my first encounter with GOD, I was so fixated on seeing GOD, I completely failed to listen to what GOD said! GOD named my son “GOD hears” but when trouble came again, I completely forgot that GOD would hear my son’s cry! Even though GOD told me during my first trial that I would be the mother of a great nation and that Ishmael would have many descendants; nevertheless, when I encountered my second trial, I completely forgot about GOD’s WORD and what I had been told! Instead of trusting GOD’s WORD, instead of having faith in GOD, I let my circumstances and my emotions take me down the road of fear and anxiety. I was afraid that I would die. I was afraid that Ishmael would die and that the dessert would be our graveyard. I couldn’t see anything because fear obscured my vision! Fear made me a blind woman! And, for a while in the desert, because of my fears and emotions, I forgot GOD and GOD’s WORD. Because of my fears, I couldn’t even “see” my blessings, a life-giving well, which was right in front of me!

During my first trial, I was so focused on “seeing,” when I should have been “listening more.” During my second trail, “I allowed my circumstances” to “obstruct” “my vision” so that I could not see or remember GOD’s WORD and GOD’s PROMISES.

So, in the end, GOD brought me through---not because of me or anything I did nor any act of faith on my part, but just because GOD is TRUE TO HIS WORD. Despite my fears, GOD still brought me through because we can rely on HIS WORD.

So, all I can tell you is that don’t let your circumstances try to dictate your future. Don’t let your circumstances control your emotions. Don’t let your circumstances make you so afraid you forget GOD. Instead, GO TO GOD’s WORD. Look for GOD’s PROMISES. And, just as GOD was TRUE TO HIS WORD for me, GOD will be TRUE TO HIS WORD for you!

Listen, I know what I’m talking about. See, after I left the dessert my future started to unfold. I saw GOD do exactly what GOD said GOD would do for Ishmael. Ishmael grew up, became an expert archer, and married an Egyptian girl (Genesis 21:22). Then, just like one of Isaac’s later descendants (Jacob/Israel), Ishmael had twelve sons (Genesis 25:12-15). Each of Ishmael’s sons became the founders of a tribe that bore his name. Each of the sons was like a prince and ruled a large territory.

Ishmael’s descendants were sometimes called Ishmaelites. Throughout history, Ishmael’s descendants and Isaac’s descendants have often “crossed paths” many times. For example, it was the Ishmaelites who took Isaac’s descendant, Joseph, to Egypt when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:27).

So, trust GOD’s WORD. Ask GOD to open your eyes to your future. Ask GOD to give you a future just as GOD did for me, Ishmael, Isaac, 100-year-old Abraham, and 90-year-old Sarah! GOD gave us all futures, despite “our circumstances,” and despite what looked like impossible situations.

So, don’t focus on your circumstances. Instead, have faith in GOD and GOD’s WORD. Listen to GOD. Let GOD dictate your future!

MORE STRETCHING

1. Seated Rotation Stretch – Sit up straight in a straight back chair with your feet flat on the ground. Slowly rotate your head and torso to the right without moving the lower part of your body from the waist down. As you slowly rotate place you left hand on the outside of your lower right thigh and your right fingers under the back seat of the chair where the seat and the back leg of the chair seat meet, as you sit up straight. Feel the stretch. They slowly return to the starting position and repeat the same movement on the opposite side. To deepen your stretch, use your thigh hand to gently twist a little further.
2.  Head Stretches - Sit up straight in a straight back chair with your feet flat on the ground. Slowly tilt your head to your right shoulder, keeping your shoulders down, until you feel a stretch. Return to your start position. Now slowly tilt your head to your left shoulder, keeping your shoulders down, until you feel a stretch. Repeat 4-5 times on each side. Next make a V, starting with the head in a downward position and then coming up on each side toward the sideways toward the shoulders so your head makes the side of a V. Return to your start position and then come up on the other side of the V. Repeat on each side making the shape of a V at least 3-5 times. Next gently and slowly circle your head until you have made a complete circle at least two times. Next gently and slowly circle your head making a reverse circle in the opposite direction at least two times. Then gently and slowly move your head all the way and all the way back. Take a break and drink water at any time for hydration.
3.  Knees to chest – Lie on your back with you’re the back of your head touching the floor and your neck relaxed. Slowly bend your knees toward your check and grasp the back of your thighs with your hands. Gently pull your knees toward your chest until you feel a stretch. Next, grasp one leg behind the thigh with both hands and point the other foot straight ahead. Switch until you have done at least 4-6 rotations. Try to keep your back on the ground as you bring each knee in toward your chest and point the other foot. Take breaks and drink water to stay hydrated.
4.  Froggie Kicks – Lie on your back with your feet straight up in the air. Bring your heels together and point your knees and toes outward. Keeping your heels connected, slowing bring your heels inward toward your chest, then with your heels still connected, push your heels outwards. As you breathe in, bring your heels inward and as you breathe out, push your heels out. Do at least 5- 10 Froggie kicks. Take breaks when needed. Try to maintain your form, keeping your back on the floor. For greater stability, cup your head in your hands with your elbows pointing outward and try not to go from side to side.

As always, if you have an injury, are concerned about safety or you have a medical condition, speak to your personal physician about what stretches are appropriate for you.

HAVE FAITH IN GOD’s WORD

When you are in the middle of a trial, or when your emotions cloud your judgment or when you look around and can’t see a way through, remember GOD’s WORD. Remember, GOD’s promises:

1. As a sign, GOD promised that a child shall be born to a virgin. And she shall call him IMMANUEL, meaning, “GOD is with us.” Isaiah 7:14
2.  Psalms 18:2 states THE LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliver. He is my shield and my stronghold. Proverbs 18:10 says, THE LORD is a strong fortress. The godly run to him and are safe.
3. John 16:33 states that Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows; but cheer up, for I (JESUS) have overcome the world.

Listen to THE WORD. Take comfort in the WORD. See your future in THE WORD.

Believe GOD’s WORD and BE BLESSED!

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¹Many consider Egypt a transcontinental country because part of it spans the Northeastern corner of Africa and the Southwestern corner of Asia, by a land bridge now known as the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt is bordered on the North by the Mediterranean Sea and on the East by the Red Sea.