Shining a light on the weekly Bible Lessons published in the Christian Science Quarterly®
God the Preserver of Man
You are “God who sees me.”
—International Children’s Bible®
Spoken by Hagar, these words represent the first biblical account of someone giving a name to God. A slave or servant, she has conceived a child by her master, Abram, in place of his barren wife, Sarai (at the time, a legal means of providing an heir). But Hagar shows insolence toward Sarai and is treated harshly. She then flees into the wilderness, where God’s angel comforts her and directs her to return to Sarai (see vv. 1–9). “God who sees me” signals Hagar’s recognition of this divine aid and protection.
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Resources cited in this issue
GT: International Children’s Bible® . Copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Cit. 1: White, R.E.O. Evangelical Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995.
Cit. 17: Vincent, Marvin R. Word Studies in the New Testament. 4 vols. New York: Scribner, 1887. Also available at biblehub.com/commentaries; Morris, Leon. The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1992.
Cit. 20: CSB Study Bible. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.
Copyright
Scriptural quotations marked Contemporary English Version are taken from the Contemporary English Version, copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
Scriptural quotations marked Amplified® Bible (AMPC) are taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMPC), Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. lockman.org
Scriptural quotations marked GOD’S WORD® Translation are taken from GOD’S WORD®. © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. Used by permission.
Scriptural quotations marked New International Reader’s Version™ are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version™, NIrV™. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scriptural quotations marked Good News Translation are taken from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version—Second Edition, copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
Scriptural quotations marked New Living Translation are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scriptural quotations marked Common English Bible are taken from the Common English Bible, copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible.
© 2025 The Christian Science Publishing Society. The design of the Cross and Crown is a trademark owned by the Christian Science Board of Directors and is used by permission. Bible Lens and Christian Science Quarterly are trademarks owned by The Christian Science Publishing Society. Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptural quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
