God's passion for outsiders. Recovering from the damage of religion.

What I find compelling about the biblical narrative is that God always seems to meet with the most unlikely of people. That isn't just true of Jesus' ministry it can be found from the very beginning of God's story. Genesis 16 is another fine example. In the opening verses we are introduced to Hagar "an Egyptian slave girl". Previously Abraham has been told by God that his descendants would be persecuted by the Egyptians for 400 years. So not only is Hagar a slave,representing the lowest status in society, she also represents Abram's most sinister enemies. In the patriarchal world of Abram it is astonishing then to find not just a woman, not even just a slave woman but an Egyptian slave woman meeting with the living God. What makes it even more unlikely is that Hagar was also guilty of violating her relationship with Sarai by "looking with contempt on her mistress". Surely this is the final nail in Hagar's coffin, not only the the lowest status in Abram's world and but a sinner as well!

This isn't just surprising for those looking from the outside but it is the last thing Hagar expected. For Hagar the only reason God would meet with her would be for her judgment - so to see this God was to die. Hagar exclaims after the encounter "Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?" Like many people Hagar had imagined God as a distant and angry God that smites. She had not expected to discover a God who "had given heed to her affliction". What had she, an egyptian, a slave, a woman, done to deserve this kindness?!

It was the day for Hagar that plucked her from the obscurity of the cold and lonely world she lived in and gave her a future she had never dreamed of. It wasn't going to be easy for Hagar but before, her life had no prospects and yet now she was going to be the mother of a nation. Nothing in her circumstance may have changed but she had been "seen" by God and now the whole world look different and for the first time she saw the future she never thought she would have.

What is fascinating in all of this is that the people who had been called to represent God on earth had behaved in completely the opposite way towards Hagar. Abram and Sarai were the promise bearers. They had been called to be those through whom the whole earth would be blessed. They represent the future of Israel and ultimately the Church. It is astounding then that having journeyed with the patient God that had guided them on this winding journey through all kinds of dangers, despite their own failings, they remain untouched by his attributes. Instead on over looking Hagar's sin they dealt harshly with her forcing her into the isolation of the wilderness. Later on in chapter 21, Sarai actually cast Hagar out.

It seems that this story points to something that will happen again and again in the story of the people of God. Whether Israel or the Church the pattern seems set - the people of God will repeatedly fail to represent God faithfully on the earth. That is not to say that will not be great periods of history where the Church lives out its purpose but for those who think they can judge God by the actions of his people, be warned! Just as Hagar was a recipient of grace, so were Abram and Sarai. Just as Hagar was capable of failing so was Abram and Sarai. The story of the Church is a story of people saved by grace and given a future they didn't deserve. Like children growing up they too will be capable of all kinds of mistakes and failings and so to judge God by their actions would be misguided and a failure to truly understand the process of restoring a fallen world.

Sadly the people of God have time and time again done what Abram and Sarai did. They have excluded and cast out those that God had chosen. It seems that a repeated theme of Jesus' ministry that he takes the outcasts and rejects and he restores them to the family of God. He came to undo so much of the damage done by the people of God and to call us all to a new way. Jesus tore down the nationalistic religion that was riddled with pride and delighted in separating itself from those that needed grace the most. Sadly the Church has not always heeded these lessons.

We're all guilty of some form of hypocrisy and we must draw near to Jesus and pray that we will carry God's message of grace to all who need it.