Do you remember Hagar an Egyptian slave to Sarah? She reminds us to take heart because God Sees you and calls you by name!
As you may recall Sarah is unable to give Abraham children. As time went by she grew more impatient and concerned. Her problem got bigger and her God got smaller. Usually, when we find ourselves in this place we are tempted to take matters into our own hands.
Sarah did the very exact thing and she told Abraham to take Hagar as his wife in hopes that she could build a family through her.
Well, Abraham slept with her and she conceived. Sarah became jealous and bitter so she began mistreating Hagar. We don’t get the details of her mistreatment but for a woman carrying a child to run out to the wilderness to die, I think it would be safe to say she was harshly mistreated.
Maybe she felt like God had forgotten her but He had not.
The Lord goes out to find her with a message Genesis 16:9-12:
- He calls her by name– Hagar. He doesn’t simply address her as a slave but by her given name.
- He gives her a blessing–Descendants too numerous to count.
- But before this promise, he asks her to do something hard. Go back to Sarah and submit to her.
- He tells her about the child in her womb.
- He tells her that the Lord has heard her misery.
Her Response to the God Who Sees Her
Our all-knowing gracious God…calls her by name. He blesses her, comforts her and reminds her of who God is and whom she belongs to.” ~Proverbs 31 in 5 Minutes a Day Bible Study
She responds with praise. She gives God this name–El Roi. She says in vs 13 “You are the God who sees me”, for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me”.
She also responds with obedience to Him even when it’s hard. We read further in the text that she returns back to Sarah.
He Sees You
This morning I was reminded in my time with God that it’s easy to feel forgotten, taken for granted, or unappreciated.
He sees your hot mess. He sees the ordinary mundane routines you help your children with, He sees the ugly cries (that come forth from your inner soul), the precious moments–He sees ALL of it.
He sees you wake up in the middle of the night with a sick child. He sees you running around trying to get to the grocery store in time to get back home for your child. He sees you listen to that person who needs some TLC. He sees you stand firm in your convictions at work even if it means possible ridicule. He sees you come early to church and stay late to serve. He sees you patiently and sometimes impatiently handle another tantrum. He sees you write another blog post that will go into the world-wide-web without a single response. He sees you leaned over the kitchen stove stirring another pot of food for your tribe. He sees you up late at night because you’re heart is worried about that thing.
He sees you! Nothing is wasted in His hands and nothing goes unseen on His watch.
Your Turn
So I’m going to ask you to do what I was asked to do in my devotional because it was so healing for me to write it out. Write out 2 or 3 things you do that go unacknowledged or unappreciated.
“Instead of shoving those feelings down, bring them to God and let Him, minister to your heart. Ask Him to comfort you and guide you.”
It will do us good,
To remember in the darkness what God has told us in the light”.
So for each thing you listed, write out–
You are the God who sees_____. Help me _____.
For example, You are the God who sees what I do to keep our home a safe and loving place. Help me not become resentful when my efforts are taken for granted or ignored. Help me remember that you see it and it’s worth it.
Now pause and list yours.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I proclaim the words of Hagar, “You are the God who sees me.” I praise you for being El Roi (Hebrew for “the God who sees”.) I thank you because nothing is wasted in your hands and nothing goes unseen on your watch. Help me keep my eyes on you. In your name, Amen.
The quotes mentioned above can be found in week 3 of the Proverbs 31 5 Minutes a Day Bible Study.
