THE POLYTECHNIC WAY
LED BY THE GOD WHO SEES
O
by Dr. Steve Conn
ne of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is the story of Hagar, the mother of Ishmael. Because Abraham and Sarah are impatient to have a child, they take matters into their own hands and Abraham has a child with Hagar. After the birth of Isaac, they cast Hagar and Ishmael out into the wilderness where they nearly die of thirst. Throughout the story, Hagar is dismissed, ignored, and unseen. She is referred to exclusively as Sarah’s slave or as “the slave girl” with one exception. God reveals himself to her in the desert and calls her by name. He meets her there, comforts her, and reminds her that she has been both seen and heard. An emboldened Hagar responds to God “You are El-roi,” which roughly translates to “the God who sees me.”
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LETOURNEAU NOW
