El Roi: Encounter the God Who Sees YouSample

Inside our heart lies an innate need to be seen. Our personalities may affect this to some degree, but everyone needs to be seen by others and by God. Maybe it’s in our DNA. Maybe we get it from our Dad—our heavenly Papa in whose image we were created. Scripture tells us He wants to be known and seen. So, maybe that’s why deep in our core, we need to be seen too.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. Proverbs 8:17 NIV

The Bible tells a story of a slave woman 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 situation and her future gave her strength to return to Sarai and Abram and give birth to a son. Listen to the hope in her voice,

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are (El Roi) the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees (raha) me” Genesis 16:13 (addition mine).

Being seen by God was not fearful to Hagar. She wasn’t afraid. Instead, Hagar felt blessed by His presence. She said, “I’ve seen the One who raha me. This word means to understand or experience.

To be seen by God means more than a visual encounter. For God to “see” means He “gets” you.

The innate need to be seen throbs in our hearts because to be seen by God means:

·We’re valuable to Him.

·He knows what we need.

·He understands us because He sees what we’re going through.

El Roi sees you.

You’re valuable to Him.

He understands you because He sees what you’re going through.

He knows what you need.

Soak in this truth today. The same caring God who saw Hagar, sees you. Pray to encounter the Living God who sees.

Prayer:

El Roi, I want to encounter you as Hagar did. Please open my senses to your presence and love. I need hope today. Please give me hope.