Psalm 119:135 Seen

Make your face shine on your servant
and teach me your decrees.

Psalm 119:135

Genesis 16 tells the story of Hagar, the slave/servant who Sarah handed over to Abraham so they could have a child through her. It's not at all surprising to the modern reader that this arrangement did not result in happy faces all around.

It's no surprise that Sarah quickly grew to resent Hagar, treating her badly. Given his history, it's also not at all surprising that Abraham stood by and let Sarah do this. And Hagar, finding herself in a hopeless situation, treated poorly by her mistress and ignored by her master, fled into the wilderness.

Under such extreme oppression, Hagar's emotional state had to have been at rock bottom. She could easily have concluded the God of Abraham and Sarah was obviously on their side and didn't care a bit about her.

But then the angel of the Lord showed up and encouraged her. He spoke directly to her, telling her good news about the child she would have.

All the while she thought God was ignoring her, he was in fact paying close attention.
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.”

Genesis 16:13

When it seems God is ignoring you, turn to the scriptures, where he promises over and over that he does see you.

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

2 Chronicles 16:9

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love

Psalm 33:18