El Roi means “the God who sees me.”  El refers to God and Ro’iy in the original Hebrew can be translated as seeing, looking or gazing.

When we feel most invisible and forgotten by everyone else, we can remember that God sees us.  He witnesses our struggles, He knows our name, He knows our situation and our needs and He is there for us.

Genesis 16:1-15

Genesis 16 tells the story of Hagar, who encountered “the God who sees”.  As she ran away from an abusive situation, God met her in the desert.  Hagar’s meeting with the Living God did not change her situation, but it changed her.  Knowing that God saw her and her situation and her future gave her strength to return to Sarai and Abram and give birth to a son, Ishmael, that means “God hears”.

From Genesis 16 we learn:

  • God knew Hagar by name. Genesis 16:8 (NLT) “The angel said to her, Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”.
  • God did not remove Hagar out of her terrible situation. In fact, He told her to go back to Sarai and Abram.  Genesis 16:9 (NLT) “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”
  • The God who sees does not always takes us out of our difficulty. But He did give Hagar hope which gave her the strength to go back.  God promised a future for her son and blessed her with the same blessing He had given Abraham.  Genesis 16:10 (NLT) “I will give you more descendants than you can count.”
  • God knows everything about us. The good, the bad and the ugly. And He still loves us and provides for us without condemnation, or scolding us for our wrongdoings or pointing fingers.  Genesis 16:4 (NLT) “But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.”

El Roi sees us.  We are not unnoticed.  We are not overlooked.  We’re valuable to God.  We are fully known, yet fully loved.  He sees what we’re going through and He cares.

The same caring God who saw Hagar, knows us, love us and sees us and our situation.  He may not change our situation but He will give us a hope and a future.

Prayer: El Roi, thank You for seeing me, knowing me and still loving me despite my rough edges and mistakes.  I know that You sees my situation.  I am not forgotten.  You have been watching over me all along, just like you watched over Hagar.  Open my eyes to see Your fingerprints in my life every day.  In Jesus name, Amen

Genesis 21:1-19

Years passed and again God came and met Hagar.  This time she was broken hearted.  The promised baby, Isaac had been born, and Sarah demanded Hagar and Ishmael should leave.  Though Abraham loved Ishmael, God instructed him to send them away.  In Hagar’s eyes, Abraham had chosen Sarah and Isaac over her and Ishmael.  Rejected and thrown away, wandering in the desert, Hagar gave up hope.  All seemed lost.  El Roi, however, was still watching.  This time He opened her eyes to the provision she needed to survive and keep Ishmael alive.

The Bible does not tell if God miraculously made a well, but it does tell us that He opened Hagar’s eyes to see it.  How many times have you not seen the provision right in front of you?  All you needed to do was ask El Roi to open your eyes?

El Roi sees us.  He knows what we need and He provides.

Are you going through a difficult, seemingly hopeless season?  Cry out to El Roi.  Ask Him to open your eyes to the provision He has for you.

Prayer: El Roi, do You see my desperate situation?  Do You know the desert place I’m walking through right now?  You are the God who sees.  If the answer to my problem or the provision I need is in front of me, open my eyes to see what You already have provided.  Thank You, El Roi.  In Jesus name, Amen.

The God who sees

God saw Hagar, and her situation.  He saw Lea’s rejection, the Samaritan woman’s shame, Hannah’s desperation, Elizabeth’s emptiness, Esther’s courage, Bathsheba’s guilt, Naomi’s discouragement, Ruth’s loneliness, the widow’s need for financial restitution, Mary’s gentle heart, Rachel’s patience, Sarah’s doubt, Rahab’s faith, Martha’s willing hands, … and God sees you and your circumstances.

God’s promise to us today

Psalm 121:1-8 (NLT) “I look up to the mountains does my help come from there?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!  He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.  Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.  The Lord himself watches over you!  The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.  The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.  The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.  The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.”  Amen.