Bible Text: Genesis 16:13 | Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words | Hagar was a single mom who experienced many of the same problems in Bible days that face single moms today. She had to provide for her son and defend him when he was picked on.

Look at her life for a moment. She started out as a servant working for Sarah, Abraham’s wife. God had promised children to Abraham and Sarah, but as the years went by and they yet had no children, Sarah decided she’d better help God out. So she suggested to Abraham that he have a child by her servant Hagar. When Hagar became pregnant, however, Sarah became jealous and mistreated her so much that Hagar ran away.

In the desert suddenly the Lord appeared to her and told her she should go back and submit to Sarah’s authority. Hagar said, “You are the God who sees me; I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). The fact that God saw her in her predicament was a big encouragement. In time she gave birth to a baby boy she named Ishmael.

Later, when Sarah did have a son, jealousy between the boys developed, and Sarah demanded that Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away. Once again they found themselves in the desert. But this time they ran out of water. In desperation, Hagar put the boy under a bush and went away so she would not have to watch him die—the ultimate difficult circumstance in single-parenting!

But remember that Hagar knew the God who sees. And God did see them. The Bible says, “God heard the boy crying.” He showed Hagar a water well nearby, and Ishmael’s life was saved (See Genesis 21:17-20). Hagar saw the circumstances, but God saw His plans for her in the middle of her hopelessness.

Single mom, don’t give up. Turn to the One who knows the difficult circumstances you face. Look at your circumstances in light of the reality that He is the God who sees—and cares.