In a hospital in Seto City, 20 kilometers northeast of Nagoya, Japan, on an ordinary day in July, a baby girl was born…and God saw. A world away, in a rural Pennsylvania home, a family was yearning for the seemingly impossible, a new life to be added to their growing brood…and God saw. And through an amazing series of events culminating at the Pittsburgh International Airport, those two paths would cross. A little infant would be placed into my arms on that extraordinary September afternoon, our eyes would meet, a bond of love that would endure for a lifetime would take root, and God’s act of grace would flood our hearts with joy and gratitude. The name we had chosen for this tiny angel was certainly appropriate, Hannah, from the Hebrew Channah, meaning favour, grace, for this child in my arms was an act of pure grace.
Centuries ago a young handmaid became swept into Abram’s and Sarah’s waiting game, as the couple schemed to see God’s promise of a son come to fruition on THEIR timetable. Sarah takes that handmaid, Hagar, “and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.” When Hagar conceives, the tale digresses into a showcase of jealousy and dissension between herself and her mistress, Sarah, who reacts so harshly that Hagar “fled from her face.” Beside a “fountain of water in the wilderness,” Hagar hears from the “angel of the LORD,” Who tells her to return to her mistress. Hagar would indeed bear a son, named Ishmael, God hears. That well of water is given a unique name, the only occurrence of the term in all of Scripture, “Beer-lahai-roi,” the well of the God that sees! Though her circumstances did not change, Hagar knew that she was seen by a God Who observes our sorrow, betrayals, successes, and failures. And He does not look away, but extends His grace.
We are so unworthy of the mercy and grace of our Father. In His mercy, He does not dispense what we deserve, and in His grace, He blesses us with what we don’t deserve. There is perhaps no greater demonstration of the perfect intertwining of mercy and grace than in the verse “…in that, while we were yet sinners…” deserving of His wrath and judgment, “Christ died for us,” freely extending grace that was undeserved. I want my daughter to be constantly aware of the grace of God in her life. He numbers the hairs of her head, knows her past, present, and future; He sees her. And when He gazes deeply into her born-again soul, He sees the reflection of His Son.
II Timothy 2:1 Thou, therefore, my son, (and my precious daughter, Hannah) be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.