“The angel of the Lord found Hagar . . . .” -- Genesis 16:7

Hagar was an unwilling victim...a servant who had to do what Abraham and Sarah said.  When suddenly her world turned upside down, she must have thought, I'm not going to stay around and take this.  The pagans back in Egypt treated me better than these so-called "godly" people.  I'll just go back to Egypt.  So Hagar, carrying Abraham's unborn child, ran away.  Back to pagan gods and spiritual darkness.  Away from God's people and God's presence and God's promises.

Central Texas had been experiencing a drought until September 11 and 12 when the rains came outside the arena in a torrential downpour that closed Interstate 35. And the "rain" fell inside the arena throughout Just Give Me Jesus/Waco, ending the spiritual drought in the hearts of thousands who gathered. Almost without exception, everyone who came experienced a fresh touch from heaven!

Are you running?  From someone or something?  Whoever or whatever it is, don't blame God.  I understand the desperate desire to run from them, but not from Him.  And besides, running away never really solves anything, does it?  It just delays resolving the issue.

But Hagar ran.  As her sandaled feet moved swiftly over the rough, rocky terrain that emptied into an endless desert, she must have been feeling lonely and confused and terrified and angry.  Her heart must have been beating out of her chest when . . . The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert. (16:7)  Scholars agree that when The Angel of the Lord appeared in the Old Testament, it was a "theophany" or an appearance of the pre-incarnate Son of God . . . Jesus before Bethlehem.  This is the first time we encounter Him in Scripture . . . right here, at the spring that is beside the road to Shur, (16:7) revealing Himself . . .

to a woman . . . not a man;

to an Egyptian . . . not a descendant of Abraham;

to a sinner . . . not a saint;

to a slave . . . not a king.

What an undeserved, gracious intervention of the Creator in Hagar's wretched, pitiful, sin-soaked life.  He sought her . . . and He found her.

Why did God intervene?  Why didn't He just let Hagar run away and keep on running until she was totally removed from Abraham's life?  Or let her die in the desert, or have an untimely miscarriage, or return to Egypt where she would never have been heard from again?  But God did intervene because, while He had chosen Abraham as the one through whom He would bless the world, Hagar represented the world that He wanted to bless. God loved Hagar as much as He loved Abraham!

And God loves you, and God loves me, and God so loves the whole world that He sent The Angel of the Lord to seek those who are separated from Him, and on the run. The Angel of the Lord is no longer pre-incarnate, but post-incarnate. He is Abraham's ultimate promised Seed, the unique Son of God, who left His throne in heaven and came down into the world to seek and to save what was lost. He finds us on the desert road...the place of emptiness and spiritual dryness, running away from our hurt and pain and grief and anger into the nothingness and helplessness and hopelessness of a world that is in rebellion and separated from Him by sin.

The Elim Conference in Wales drew 1500 people from all over the UK and the world. It was a blessed time of ministry, one highlight of which was to share the platform with my travel assistant and daughter, Morrow Reitmeier, as she shared her testimony.

Are you someone who is on the desert road of despair, running away into anything or anywhere as long as it's not where you've been? My prayer is that you will be found by the Spirit of the same Angel of the Lord who sought and found Hagar.

As Hagar knelt to get a refreshing drink from the spring, did she hear a sound that was more beautiful than the sound of the gurgling water, clearer than the sound of a singing bird, softer than the sound of the desert wind, tenderer than the sound of her own mother's voice? I wonder if Hagar's eyes were so blinded by the dust mingled with her tears, that it took a moment for her to focus. When she did, she must have seen a rather shadowy, mysterious figure gazing at her with a compassion that reached back before the foundations of the world were laid, and reached ahead all the way to the cross, and reached up all the way to heaven, and reached down to her . . . right there . . . on the desert road that led to Egypt.

As she listened, she heard Him ask, Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going? (16:8) He knew her name! He knew who she was! And He cared enough to get involved in her life that was falling apart . . . Hagar, will you talk with Me for a moment about what you're doing and where you belong? Hagar, let's think this through carefully . . . together.

Did Hagar choke on her sobs, her breath coming in ragged gasps, as she poured out her heart to Him? I'm running away from my mistress, Sarai. (16:8) She told Him exactly what she was doing.

And did He put His arms around her, pull her head onto His chest, stroke her hair, and just hold her close to His heart for a few moments until her sobs grew quieter and her breathing more regular? Then did He gently whisper as He instructed, Go back to your mistress and submit to her . . . I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count. (16:9-10) In other words, Hagar, the only way to resolve this entire mess is to repent of your sin. Turn around. Go back. If you do, I will bless you immeasurably.

Do you really want to resolve the mess you're running away from? Do you want God's blessing to fall on you? Then the first step is to turn around in your attitude, reverse the direction of your self-will, and submit to His authority wherever He places you.

Turning around is so hard to do, isn't it? It's painful to turn around, to admit your fault, to face the person, to pay the price, to confront your own shortcomings and sin while leaving the other person to God. But I can almost hear the applause of heaven as those who have gone before encourage and challenge us, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus.

The pathway to the fullness of His blessing is repentance! Turn around!

During a very intense media launch in New York City for The Magnificent Obsession, I was invited to speak at The Bowery Mission chapel. So on my 43rd wedding anniversary, I shared the Gospel in the very place that had greatly impacted my husband's spiritual life when he was a 15-year-old who played the trumpet when his father preached there! This time, about a dozen men and women came forward at the end of the message to claim Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Hagar turned around, not petulantly or reluctantly or hesitatingly, but with the joy of knowing she herself . . . not just Abraham, but a little Egyptian servant girl . . . she herself had a personal relationship with the living God, the Creator of the Universe! I can almost see her clasping her hands to her chest, eyes wide with wonder, as she exclaimed, You are the God who sees me . . . I have now seen the One who sees me.(16:14)

As Hagar slipped back into Abraham’s household that night, ignoring the stares of the other servants and the glare of her mistress, was there a purpose to her steps and a light in her eyes and a glow on her face and a smile on her lips and a peace in her heart? Did she look past the stars in the sky that were not as numerous as her descendants would be, and whisper to herself, He sees me. He sees me! God sees me . . . and I have seen Him!*

Praise God! The miracle of Christmas is that God has seen you and me! He has come down to find us on our path of sin and self-destruction because He loves us! And in the Baby of Bethlehem, we have seen Him!

Merry Christmas!

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My Jesus is ... Everything!

"I can't get Him out of my mind ...and I can't get Him out of my heart.  I can't outlive Him ... and I can't live without Him."

If you loved reading passages like this one in Anne's best-selling book, Just Give Me Jesus, you will treasure My Jesus Is . . . Everything, a collection of selected poetry and prose from its award-winning pages. This little book is beautifully illustrated with classic and ancient crosses that reinforce the timeless truths it proclaims. And like the original, this book comes with a devotional CD in which Anne narrates who Jesus is, accompanied by Fernando Ortega's touching arrangement of Give Me Jesus. Since the CD presents a clear Gospel message and invitation, it is perfect for non-believers as well as new believers or mature Christians. My Jesus Is . . . Everything will warm tender hearts this Christmas season and beyond. And for those who still need to know Jesus, what better way to share what He means to you . . . Everything! 

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Jesus for Every Day in 2010

Are you looking for a way to "use" His Gift each day of the new year? Anne's devotionals, The Joy of My Heart and The Daily Light Journal, will help you use God's Word to draw you closer to Him as you meditate and pray over the Scripture verses chosen for that particular day. The Joy of My Heart is a collection of daily devotions from Anne's best-selling books while The Daily Light Journal is a leather-bound volume of Morning Readings from the classic Daily Light with Anne's thought-provoking question each day, as well as space for journaling.

Also available in early December for the start of 2010 is Anne's new 52-week Bible Study devotion, Into the Word. Like the disciples of old, we need to draw aside with Jesus. Anne will help guide you in a weekly retreat as she challenges you to read, study and reflect upon Scripture using this resource.

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