El Roi - "The God Who Sees Me"
In my recent, hunt and peck, random study of the names of God...I stumbled once again across this beautiful, one time thing.
Hagar, an egyptian slave...encountered God in the desert and called him "El Roi"..."The God who sees me"...notably this is the only occurrence of El Roi in the Bible (Genesis 16:13-14) This God, El Roi, is the God who numbers the hairs on our heads, knows our thoughts before we speak them, and knows our past, present, and future. When we cry out to El Roi...we are crying out to the God who knows everything about us...
Genesis 16:1-16
A little history...Sarai, Abrams wife had not had any children but she had an egyptian slaved named Hagar so she said to Abram "Go sleep with Hagar...perhaps you will have children by her because the Lord has kept me from having children.." Abram agreed - Hagar conceived - Sarai got mad - Sarai mistreated Hagar - Hagar ran away.
In the desert, the angel of the Lord found Hagar and basically asked her what was up. She said she was running away from Sarai. The Angel told her to go back and submit to her mistress......WWWHHHAATTTTTT?!?...wait...it gets better...The angel basically told her that her son was going to be a jerk.."he will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone and everyones hand against him and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.".....ggrrreeatttt right? BUT there was a promise (because God is GOOD!)...the angel said "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."
Hagar returned to her mistress (wow!) beacause she KNEW God....El Roi...the God who sees us...woah!... God, do I trust you this blindly?
You know what ELSE is interesting?..It seems that no one cared enough about Hagar and her unborn child enough to try and track her down...no one but El Roi that is...
Alone. Impoverished. Pregnant. There is NO worse nightmare for a woman...and yet Hagar discovered she WAS NOT alone...She had El Roi, the God who saw her...the God who sees US!
No wonder she was able to return to Sarai and Abrams house...She knew the God who sees her...She actually said..."I have seen the God who sees me!"
El Roi..a God so watchful that He is said to note even when the smallest sparrow falls to the ground...this is the God who watches over ME today, whether or not I recognize His presence. He's aware that often times I find myself in desolate places and in those places He is NEAR- pursuing me, wanting me, helping me find a path THROUGH the troubles, and working out a plan for my future (Jeremiah 29:11)
I am almost overcome by the primary realization that El Roi WANTS to see me..He really does want me. That's the reality that my insecure, fearful, self-condemning heart has the hardest time absorbing. God...wants...me. He doesn't need me. He wants me. Why? Because God wants me...you..us...here...now...always...
Isn't that afterall what I need to know the most? In the deepest, most hidden parts of my heart...don't I yearn most of all to know that I am wanted? And by someone who REALLY knows me? Who isn't faked-out by my relationship with Christ or put off by my carnal tendencies? Someone who won't change his mind about me and bale out on me..no matter WHATS in my future?
I am wanted. By a God with very expensive tastes. He paid the greatest possible price to meet with me. I don't want to miss Him for the world.
Lord, I praise You for You know the whole story. From beginning to end You see it all. Give me the humility to admit my limitations. I don't always see the past accurately, my vision of the present is often blurred and confused, and I am blind when it comes to my future...Help me to fasten my eyes on you, trusting in Your beautiful vision for my life and in your watchful care....I want to know You, El Roi.
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