Genesis 16 is a powerful story about a rejected female slave who encounters God. She had been rejected by two very religious people, Abram and Sarai, who became the mother and father of the faith. In fact, all three monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Islam and Christianity, trace their roots back to the story in Genesis 16.

This story is famous because of its impact on the three biggest faiths on planet Earth, but Hagar is an often overlooked character. She was back then, and she is today. However, what we see in this story is that she is not overlooked by God, and neither is her son! Ishmael's name means "The God who hears." 

God reveals Himself personally. Hagar experiences a theophany. Very few people in the Old Testament experienced God as intimately as Hagar did. Hagar used the Hebrew word "El Roi" to describe God, which means "The God who Sees." Hagar is the only person in the Old Testament who ascribed a name to God. Even Moses, hundreds of years later, didn't do this. Moses asked God what He wanted to be called. God revealed Himself to a lowly rejected slave girl and allowed her to give Him a human name. 

Read through Genesis 16 a few times. Who do you think "the angel of the Lord" is? In the first few mentions of this being, it seems as though he is simply an angel or messenger of God. However, something profound happens in verse 13: He seems to trade places with Yahweh, indicating He is an incarnation of Yahweh. Could this "angel of the Lord" be the pre-incarnate Jesus? 

Ponder what the angel of the Lord says to Hagar. After revealing Himself to her and comforting her, He tells her to return to Sarai, who had been cruel to her. Sometimes, God reveals His mercy to us, He reveals His love, but He still tells us to do things we don't want to do. Sometimes, doing the right thing means doing the hard thing. Have you experienced this in your own life? 

These are huge questions but worth pondering. Regardless of how you interpret this story, it is impossible not to see the compassion, kindness, mercy, grace and beauty of God. I can't wait to dive into it with you on Sunday! 

Pastor Nathan 

On Sunday, June 9, we will head to Mission Island Marsh immediately following the service for a baptism. 

If you are a follower of Jesus and have not yet been baptized, please respond to this email and ask for a meeting. 

Woman's only 8-week study
All woman welcome! Married, divorced, engaged, single

Wednesdays 7:30-8:30, May 22 to July 10

Each week we will watch a video that summarizes a chapter or two we read the previous week, followed by group discussion and prayer. Facilitators Megan Elrick & Elaine Coates

Register below

Purchase the book on Amazon for $21, or you can get the Kindle or Audio version. Link to book here

The Great Sex Rescue is based upon the results of a 20,000 woman research project that Gregoire and her team led. Those findings showed that many Christian women have been hurt and marriages destroyed by the harmful “‘sex advice’ offered in bestselling Christian sex and marriage books.” Gregoire then asks the question. “What if our evangelical ‘treatments’ for sex issues make things worse?”

What follows is an incredibly valuable unpacking of biblical truths that bring to light the lies and injustices often found in Christian marriages. Gregoire leaves no stone unturned while discussing porn, sexual dis-satisfaction, issues of consent within marriage, sexual pain and even erectile dysfunction. All the while quoting from actual Christian books that are saying the most horrific things. Throughout the book she has check-ins and Explore together sections that ask couples to discuss the findings in their own context.