profile

9 Lumens

Mother's Day Thoughts on Hagar

Published 5 months ago • 1 min read

Illuminating Scripture for Women to be
Encouraged, Equipped, and Engaged

Hi Reader.

I am preparing for tomorrow evening's discussion on Hagar as part of the year-long study of "First Ladies: All the Women in Genesis." Studying her on Mother's Day has added an interesting layer. It's sobering to contemplate the complexity of her journey into motherhood and wonder how it could resonate with all of us women. Motherhood was not a choice she made and yet, there is the gift of a son. This tension speaks to the duality of her experience - from being reduced to a mere vessel for bearing a child, to later experiencing deep love for Ishmael. Isn't that, in many ways, reflective of our own stories?

Reflecting on Hagar, I'm reminded of the diverse paths we walk as women. Some of you are mothers, some are not. Some are married, some divorced, and some have never married. Yet, amidst our varied circumstances, there is the shared reality of navigating through lives that are at times complicated, and at times beautiful, and everything in between.

What's remarkable about Hagar is that as an Egyptian slave and concubine, she gives us the name for God "El-Roi" - The God Who Sees Me. No other character in the Old Testament, male or female, names God. It's this God who sees us in our journeys.

Whatever your Mother’s Day, or any other day, looks like, I pray that you know that God sees you and is with you.

"The LORD opened Hagar's eyes, and she saw a well of water" (Genesis 21:19) – a well that, like God Himself, had been there all along."
All the Women in the Bible, Lockyer

If you are unfamiliar with Hagar, here are the readings from Genesis that pertain to her.

  • Genesis 16
  • Genesis 17:1-22
  • Genesis 25:12-18

​

With you,

p.s. The Women Around the Cross series will be released as an e-course & workbook via private podcast early summer. Watch for details via newsletter or Instagram @9lumens.

Linda Hannigan, BTh, CPLC, ACC

Life, Leadership & Spiritual Formation Coaching, and Speaker

​
Owner & Coach 9 Lumens​ & Illuminate

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​
​Copyright © 9 Lumens, All rights reserved.

9 Lumens

Read more from 9 Lumens

Findings, Sharings & Offerings Reader Happy first of the month and Canada Day! Yesterday, I sat down with one of my favorite practices: a monthly reflection from the Full Focus Planner. I spend about 30 minutes on this; I don’t overthink it and just write what comes to mind. I also keep my planner, photos on my phone, and Bible journal nearby to prompt my memory. It's been a very beneficial practice, and I’m always surprised by what surfaces. Over time, I’ve tweaked the questions to help me,...

4 months ago • 1 min read

Illuminating Scripture for Women to beEncouraged, Equipped, and Engaged Friends! I am excited to share that it’s FINALLY ready! After countless hours of editing, learning technology (or at least trying to), and overcoming setbacks, I’ve re-released the study I taught last year, "The Women Around the Cross," as an e-course! Artwork by Holly Pennington Feedback from last year's participants was to make the study available to share with their friends. They had two main requests: make it easy to...

4 months ago • 1 min read

Findings, Sharings & Offerings Reader This may seem like a small thing to share—maybe you haven’t even noticed it—but I recently started signing off my emails “with you.” It’s not a random choice that felt right; it was intentional. Back in January, I was listening to a Carey Nieuwhof podcast (can’t recall the exact one), and his guest talked about how kids don’t want youth pastors just doing stuff “to them” or “for them”; they want someone who’s genuinely “with them.” That will preach. But...

5 months ago • 1 min read