El Roi

In the 16th Chapter of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we meet an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.

Unlike many of the big names in the Bible, Hagar's name might go unnoticed, yet she has quite a story to tell.

Abram (later known as Abraham) had received the promise of a child from God but as an old man already, the passage of time lent to Abram and Sarai's (later known as Sarah) decision to take matters into their own hands. Sarai told Abram to lie with her maidservant so that they could build a family through her, and so he did.

When Hagar became pregnant, she grew resentful toward Sarai. 

After Sarai mistreated her, she decided to run away. I'm not sure if it was the pregnancy hormones or a sudden lack of reality that gave Hagar the boldness to run away all by herself to the middle of nowhere, but run she did.

What happens next, in my opinion, is the best part of our story. 

At a time in Hagar's life when Hagar felt completely and utterly alone, an angel of the Lord found her. I could tell you what the angel of the Lord said to Hagar, but that is not nearly as important as the fact that when Hagar had no one to turn to and nowhere to run to, God saw her.

After Hagar and the Angel of the Lord spoke with one another, Hagar gives this name to the Lord, "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." (Genesis 16:13). 

Another name for the God who Sees me is El Roi.

This same God who saw Hagar also sees us. When we feel knocked down, alone and forgotten it's imperative that we run to God instead of running away from our circumstances. We must face the lies Satan is hurling at us head-on.

In Psalm 139 (vs. 1-12), David describes El Roi perfectly and beautifully:

"You have searched me and you know me. 
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; 
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue 
you know it completely,
O Lord.

You hem me in--behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, 
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me 
and the light become night around me," 
even the darkness will not be dark to you; 
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you."

If you are going through a season of feeling alone, forgotten, or unseen--I pray the God Who Sees will speak to your heart and flood you with the knowledge of His presence. 

Whether on the far side of the sea or in the depths He will never leave you nor forsake you.

The God Who Sees hears our prayers, comforts our spirits, and draws us gently into His loving embrace. 

His love never fails.

Stay the Course...

Sheila