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Hagar Despised Sarai

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(Genesis 16: 8-9)

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. Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her."

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A long time ago, Abraham and Sarah's names were Abram and Sarai.  

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Abram and Sarai had no baby.
God surely promised to give them a baby someday.
However, they still did not have a baby after ten years.

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Abram's wife, Sarai began to get restless because the LORD had kept her from having children for ten years. So she began to distrust God's promise and started to have bad thoughts.

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Sarai had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.
She thought that Abram could have a baby through her maidservant.
Since this was a common practice in those days.

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Sarai said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children.

Go, sleep with my maidservant. Perhaps I can build a family through her."

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Abram agreed with what Sarai said. Soon after, Hagar bore Abram's first baby.
She did not have to work any more.
Her position was changed from maidservant into Abram's concubine.

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However, this started a lot of serious problems. Hagar having Abram's baby caused her to develop a jealous heart. Hagar began to despise her mistress who could not have a baby.

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Sarai suffered from it. "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."

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Abram said to Sarai, "Your servant is in your hands.
Do with her whatever you think best."

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From that day on Sarai began to punish Hagar.
Sarai mistreated Hagar.
Hagar was distressed.

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Hagar thought that she could not be with Sarai any more.
Hagar fled from Sarai to a spring in the desert.
Hagar who ignored Sarai with an arrogant heart could not go anywhere.

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The angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her."

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Hagar realized her fault and came back home, and submitted to Sarai as the angel of the LORD said. God does not want those who have something better than others to ignore the ones who have less.

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Hagar received a blessing from God when she came back with a pure heart.
When Abram was 86 years old, Hagar gave birth to a son, Ishmael.
Ishmael would become a great nation.

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God is never pleased when people have arrogant hearts like Hagar. Our position is changed into God's children through the belief of Jesus. That is definitely something to be thankful for. Therefore, we should try to be good people and thank God with humble hearts.