Hagar Archives - Sherry Stahl

You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide

The angel said to her,
“Hagar, Sarai’s servant,
where have you come from,
and where are you going?”
“I’m running away
from my mistress, Sarai,”
she replied. 
~Genesis 16:8 NIV

DAY DATE IN DETROIT

Last week Todd and I had a day-date before I had to go away for a week of speaking and other meetings. We went to downtown Detroit and enjoyed dinner at the well-known Pegasus restaurant in Greektown. Then, we walked around and saw The Apparatus Room. It’s the coolest restaurant and boutique hotel that includes a podcasting room with viewing from the sidewalk I’m going to use in the fall {you’ll have to stay tuned for that news}. The building was a former Firehall renovated with incredible architecture, so my firefighter hubby was in heaven!

RUNNING AROUND DETROIT

Then we walked by the Joe Louis Fist monument. With my family boxing background {You can read about that HERE}¹, I’ve always been intrigued by this uncommonly shaped memorial. I found out that Joe Louis’ family fled Alabama after a fearful incident with the Klu Klux Klan. As did many African Americans, they settled into the Detroit area where a young Joe learned to box.² In 1986, the Sports Illustrated sculpture was unveiled with the imagery purposed to remind people of Joe’s powerful punch in and out of the ring to help knock-out racism towards the black community he belonged to.³

RELATABLE RUNNING

On Friday I spoke to the Kingsville Divas group about the life of Hagar. Even though it wasn’t the focus of my message, as I was preparing, I felt so strongly to do a Facebook live to compel someone who was running from God to consider his love and a few wrote to let me know they needed that reminder.

I think Joe and his family would’ve been able to relate to Hagar. She too was mistreated and forced to run away from her home for fear of her life. It’s sad that too many people today can relate to an unsafe living or work environment and the desire to run. It was in researching the origins of today’s devotion title that I found the connection with Joe Louis and Hagar. It was Joe who made this “run-away’ phrase popular.

When the Brown Bomber was interviewed before a fight with an opponent who was suspected to hide from his powerful punch, Louis was quoted as saying, “He can run, but he can’t hide”. Billy Conn experienced this knock-out power as he hit the matt in the 13^th round of their match.⁴ I don’t know if Joe Louis ever understood that you can run from God but you can’t hide from Him? I know Hagar did. When life was hard for Hagar she ran away, right into the arms of God. It was in this desert time when she encountered God in a powerful way and He gave her the strength to face that heartbreaking home life.

YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE

This week’s #musicpic song Reckless Love packs a powerful punch to your heart. Helping you understand how God in his love chases after you. He’ll find you wherever you are. Know that Whatever you’re facing today that you can run away from God, but you can’t hide from Him. He is omnipresent and that means always-present and you cannot get away from His love for you. Romans 8:39 reminds us that, “nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God”, and nothing means… nothing!

Prayer

Father… I thank-You for the way you love me. It’s not in a passive, pat on the head, weakly expressed love. Your love is reckless for me. I can often run, but I’m so thankful that I can’t hide from You. Your love seeks me out and draws me in. Help me to rest in Your love today. In Jesus Name…Amen

The Facebook Live that inspired this post. That day I kept saying you can’t run from God, but I really should have said, You can run from God, you just a can’t hide from Him! As I say in the video; He sees you and He loves you! https://www.facebook.com/sherry.lynn.stahl/videos/10157301254536085/

#musicpic

Song: Reckless Love
Written by Cory Asbury, Caleb Culver, and Ran Jackson
Youtube Video of Song and Story behind the song: https://youtu.be/6xx0d3R2LoU
Bethel Music Lyrics & Chord Charts: https://bethelmusic.com/chords-and-lyrics/reckless-love/
My Favorite Lines:

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ‘til I’m found

If you liked the refreshing in this #SoulH2O devotion, you’ll love my latest Soul H2O Devotional book: 40 Thirst Quenching Devotions for Women.

This week I’m hoping you’ll read beyond just one verse in each of these sections of The Bible. They’re power-packed portions!

Genesis 16:8
Hagar’s story is found in Genesis 16. If you have time, re-read this story and imagine how difficult this would have been for her. Understand why she ran away and what strength it took to go home.