Hagar: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me

Title: Hagar: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me
Author: Shadia Hrichi
Series: Stand-Alone
Genre: Bible Study/Devotional

 

About the Book:
“You are “The God Who Sees Me.”

Discover a close relationship with God no matter the pain or suffering in your life. Witness the depths of God’s compassion through the eyes of Hagar, a runaway slave who meets the living God in a desert of despair, where she gives Him the name El Roi, “The God Who Sees Me.” A largely forgotten Old Testament character, Hagar is actually one of only a few people who have ever spoken directly with the LORD.

Through this seven week study, you will find that when you surrender your life into God’s hands, your trials and triumphs serve a magnificent purpose: to draw you into the arms of the faithful God who sees you.”

Review:
This was an incredibly in-depth study despite Hagar’s short presence in the Bible. It includes more than just Hagar’s story though, but also shares about several other people who were involved in her story. Sarah, Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac were all also studied. The end of the book spends time talking about Jesus and how ultimately everything leads to a need for Jesus in our lives.

My biggest complaint for the book was that the time it took on a day’s study varied greatly by the day. Some days felt very long and others didn’t take long at all. I understand that it’s nearly impossible to make all days equal (Especially with a lot of self-examining questions), but I wish they were at least more even than they were.

I don’t know about you, but before reading this study I hadn’t given Hagar much thought. I remember feeling bad for her, but I honestly don’t think I ever considered God’s role in her life and how He sees her. Because she is part of Abraham’s story and Isaac is the true promised child, Hagar’s story is often lost in the background. This study helped put Hagar’s life into perspective in a personal way I didn’t expect.

*I won a free copy from a goodreads giveaway in hopes of an honest review.

Rating: 

Age Appropriateness: I would say relevance would be a better word to use for this study instead of appropriateness. Hagar is a slave belonging to Sarah who is given to Abraham to bear a child. That’s the basic Sunday school understanding, but the study goes deeper than that. The study questions are definitely geared more to adults than youth. The author shares about an abortion she had, an abusive ex-husband, and some other struggles in her life. On a study level I think it’s deeper than younger kids would be interested in or find relevant.