Introduction:-
We saw in the last article on Growing in knowing the knowledge of God. Here we are going to know God through Obedience. Obedience plays a very important role in every Christian’s life. It’s very difficult to make it in our life. But when we start to obey, God blesses us abundantly in worldly and Godly things.
Paul says in 1 corinthians-2:9, 10 Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for us. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, and the deep things of God. And that is why Satan is also trying to make human disobey. We too are fighting to win against the flesh, the world and Satan. We know about the obedience of Abraham, Moses, and so many Godly people. Here we are going to see about a woman from the Bible who received blessings through her obedience.
1. God in the life of an obedient woman, Hagar.
We are going to learn Obedience from the life of Hagar. The history says that she was the daughter of the king pharaoh. When Abraham went to Egypt God did some wonders for Abraham in order to save Sarah. On seeing the power of God, Hagar decided to leave Egypt and came to Abraham as a maidservant. She works as a maid servant for Abraham and Sarah who are the ministers of the highest God. God has promised Abraham “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be.” But Sarah was not able to be patient and she had a plan to build her house through Hagar so that she could give birth to a son. Actually the Bible tells that there were so many maid servants in the house of Abraham (Gen 12:16) Then why did Sarah choose Hagar? Because Hagar is from a royal family and moreover the servants they have is the gift from the King who is the father of Hagar.
Now Hagar is conceived. When she comes to know that she is conceived. She started to look Sarah meagre. When Sarah realized it she started to treat Hagar harshly. Because of this Hagar absconded. Possibly Sarah would have thought this is the will of God until Hagar’s behaviour towards her. At times God allows such things to happen to make us remember the promises and the will of God. The angel of the Lord found Hagar by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarah’s maid, whence camest thou? And whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarah. (Gen 16:7-9). Now the angel of the Lord tells her to return home not as a Land lord or the Princess instead she should be under the hands of Sarah as a servant maid. She knew our God who watches the affliction we undergo and that is why obeying as well as being a servant for Sarah was not a big matter for her. From this we come to know that Obedience comes only when we know God. And that is why Hagar obeyed God because she knew who He is.
Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience.
Now she has come back to Abraham, the son of God and Sarah.
Sixteen years had passed since the birth of Ishmael and now Sarah too has a son. On seeing the son of the Egyptian girl, mocking at her son; Sarah request Abraham to send his son Ishmael away. Now God too says Abraham to do what Sarah tells him.
Abraham who sent lots of gifts in search of a wife for his beloved son Isaac just took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away.
This is called Human. So many questions could have been raised in the heart of Hagar such as, it was God who told me to go back to Sarah and serve her under her hands. I have also obeyed God. Then why did this happen to my life and for my beloved son. So is this what I have reaped for being under her cruel hands for so many years.
Hagar left the house of Abraham and wandering in the wilderness of Beersheba. The water was spent in the bottle. There is no water to quince the thirst. There is no one at her side and she is in between wilderness, Loneliness. Though she dies there is no one to take care of her son. It seems like no way to rescue herself and her son. Then she cast her child under one of the shrubs And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for and she said Let me not see the death of my child. And she sat over against him, and lifts up her voice, and wept.
But God didn’t forsake this Obedient Hagar. She didn’t cry out and called god for help rather God himself volunteered to help her by sending an angel of the Lord.
God who asked her where you from are? And where are you going? At the time she ran away from the house for the first time and now 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.
Here Hagar was crying but God answered for the baby because she cries for the baby and the baby cries for water. See how grievous our God is?
At time though we pray and fast we could not get the answer for our prayers but here this Obedient Hagar didn’t call God for help but God himself volunteered. See what a blessing is being received for Obedience.
I have read in so many books and have heard some sermons by those who have forgot the character of God in which in quotes that Hagar cried unto God and that is why He came and heard the cry of the child. Well this is not the truth as I have said the truth earlier.
How great are the blessings for those who obey the Lord our God. Therefore, the way God reveals himself to the one who obeys His will is a surprising one.. A Godly man quotes on obedience “The fruit of the spirit grows in the garden of obedience. And let us find the will of God in our life and let us obey Him and understand the character of God to be transformed.
