Dinner With JesusSample

Hagar, the woman who spoke the words from the verse above, is the first person in Scripture to give God a name. She was speaking as a slave of Abraham’s, having run away after being mistreated by Abraham’s wife, Sarah. It’s an amazing thing to think about. Of all the names God could be given, the first one we know if is that God is a god who sees. For Hagar, to be seen was a gift. But sometimes when we think of God seeing us, we feel embarrassed. Ashamed. Nervous. Is it always a good thing for God to see us?

Yes. Because the truth is, unless we’re fully seen, we can’t be fully known or fully loved. God sees us—all of us—the parts of our lives we wish we could hide from, ignore, or just make disappear. But the God who sees us isn’t uncomfortable with all we have done. God sees us and loves us and we can only be fully loved by being fully seen. Spend some time in prayer today thinking about the things you have thought kept you far from God, but which God sees and still loves you regardless. How does this change the way you approach God?