My faith story is really quite simple. I came to personal faith in Jesus as my Savior in my early teen years largely due to the preaching of Billy Graham on the Hour of Decison radio program. But it all started in a small country church where everyone knew everyone. I went to Sundayschool there and we would hear the Bible stories told simply. We'd learn a memory verse and sing some songs. The memory verse that has stuck with me for all my years is from Genesis 16: 13 which I learned when I was about 4 or 5 years old - "..Thou God seest me.." spoken by Hagar.
In the story of Abraham and Sarah, Hagar is their servant girl. When Sarah is unable to bear children, she decides to use Hagar to bear a child for them and therefore gives her to Abraham as a wife also. After Hagar becomes pregnant Sarah begins to treat her harshly and Hagar runs away. This is where the angel of God finds her, confronts her for running away, and so the angel comforts her in verse 11 where the angel says " the LORD hath heard thy affliction".
This is actually a very interesting story because we see that God cares for ordinary people. Hagar is not a celebrity or popular in any way - She is a servant girl. And when life becomes difficult for her God comes to find her, I believe it shows Hagar that she does matter to God. In God's eyes she is special and loved. This experience will also help her later in her life when Abraham and Sarah send her and her young son Ishmael away.
So we also can take comfort in our own situations. To the LORD God our Heavenly Father we do matter and He does love us and care for us. It matters not who you are - God sees you, He knows your situation, He comes to you to care for you. " Thou God seest me"
Like the song says" His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me"
In the story of Abraham and Sarah, Hagar is their servant girl. When Sarah is unable to bear children, she decides to use Hagar to bear a child for them and therefore gives her to Abraham as a wife also. After Hagar becomes pregnant Sarah begins to treat her harshly and Hagar runs away. This is where the angel of God finds her, confronts her for running away, and so the angel comforts her in verse 11 where the angel says " the LORD hath heard thy affliction".
This is actually a very interesting story because we see that God cares for ordinary people. Hagar is not a celebrity or popular in any way - She is a servant girl. And when life becomes difficult for her God comes to find her, I believe it shows Hagar that she does matter to God. In God's eyes she is special and loved. This experience will also help her later in her life when Abraham and Sarah send her and her young son Ishmael away.
So we also can take comfort in our own situations. To the LORD God our Heavenly Father we do matter and He does love us and care for us. It matters not who you are - God sees you, He knows your situation, He comes to you to care for you. " Thou God seest me"
Like the song says" His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me"
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