Do you ever feel unseen? Maybe you are in the midst of pain or a difficult situation, and it feels like no one cares about you. We have gotten so caught up in our own problems that we are not the best at noticing other people struggling. Because of this, many people feel invisible and that no one cares. As Christians, we must step up and show the love of God to those in our path, but the unfortunate truth is; Christians are flawed, and sometimes we miss it. The great news is, if no one else sees you, there is one who does.
God is Intimately Aware of Me
El Roi is one of my favorite names for God; it means the God who sees me. What a beautiful truth! In all my hurt, pain, and struggles, God sees me! El Roi is a name that shows intimate awareness toward the Children of God.
He sees when I financially struggle, am sick, hurting, lonely, or broken. He looks toward me with love in his heart and admires every personal detail about me. He isn’t just looking at me; he SEES me. He desires to care for my every need if only I will turn to him and allow him to.
God sees Hagar
We first see the name, in Genesis 16, used by Hagar, who was running from her mistress Sarah. If you don’t know the story, Hagar was the servant of Sarah and Abraham. Sarah became impatient waiting for God’s promise of a child to come to pass, so she decided to take matters into her hands. Sarah offered Hagar to Abraham to have children with, but when the plan worked; and Hagar became pregnant, she was angry with Sarah. In true female fashion, Sarah also got upset and decided to mistreat Hagar. Because of her mistreatment, Hagar decided to flee; while she was on the run, she stopped by a spring for water. She expected to find water but didn’t expect the Lord to find her.
Genesis 16: 7-8 says, The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.”
A God of Seeing
The angel of the Lord knew her name. A servant who had been used and mistreated. He saw her amid her pain and arrived just in time. The following verses are about the angel of the Lord telling her to return to her mistress and submit to her. If she did, God promised to make her descendants great.
After she visits with the angel of the Lord, Hagar exclaims, You are a God of seeing, next adding, truly here I have seen him who looks after me. Hagar knew that God cared for her during her bitter pain! When you are in the middle of a trial, and it seems no one sees you, remember, God sees his children. He is ready to help, comfort, rescue, and renew those who turn to him.
God sees the Lost
Another verse I love that shows God sees us is in John 1:48, Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. Before Nathanael was ever aware of Jesus’s existence, Jesus saw him.
If you have loved ones who don’t know God, rest assured Jesus sees them. Though they are far off and do not appear to be near knowing the truth, remember there is a God who sees them and intimately knows everything concerning them. Keep praying they will know the truth and keep shining the light of God on their lives, knowing that God loves them far more than you ever could.
If God is El Roi, then we always have someone watching out for us, keeping us safe and holding us close when we hurt.
He is Acquainted with all our Ways
Psalm 139 is a great example of how intimately aware God is of us. David stated, O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
His Watchful eye is on His Children
The God who sees you will never leave nor forsake you; he will guide and protect you if you learn to live under the safety of his watchful eye. He doesn’t watch you, looking for you to mess up, but instead, he is like a parent keeping a watchful eye on his child, ready to help and protect them the minute they need him.
So the next time you feel alone and uncared for, remember there is a God who sees you. Turn and run into his protective embrace and watch how he will care for you.
Referenced Scripturehttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+16&version=ESV: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A46-48&version=ESVhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+139&version=ESV
Kae Chronicles says
Thanks for this heartwarming post. I enjoyed the read.
carrie says
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Vanessa says
This is beautiful. I have never heard this name for God, El Roi. God’s names are so wonderful because it shows His character. God does really see us, I know personally that God has truly seen me in the worse times of my life and I thank Him for it. You used such a good example with Hagar too. Thank you for writing this. God bless!
carrie says
When I found the name El Roi it stuck with me. It is so wonderful knowing he sees me! Yes God’s names definitely show his character! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Rosie says
This is very uplifting! It is always a comfort to know that God will never leave us. Thank you for sharing this.
carrie says
Yes it is! Thank you for reading!