“You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13 NIV

“Hi! My name is Bethany. What’s your name?” We often introduce ourselves to people and then instantly ask them to reply with their name. I had a wondering today. And my wondering was, if I asked God what His name was, what would He say? 

As you probably have heard, there are so many beautiful names for God in Hebrew and Greek that give us greater insight into His character. But, one that means the most to me is His name, El Roi. 

El Roi means, “the God who sees me.”

This name of God is unique because it is only mentioned once in the entire Bible, and it is stated by a mom in a tough situation. Hagar was a slave of Abram and Sarai (later they become known as Abraham and Sarah) who was forced to bear Abram a son and heir. Nobody is raising their hand to be Hagar right?

Strife and jealousy begin to infiltrate Sarai and Hagar’s relationship and before long Sarai mistreats Hagar, and Hagar runs away (Whooo! Family drama! I would run away too!) In Genesis 16:7, the angel of the Lord finds her near a spring and asks her to go back to Abram’s house. If she does, He promises to increase her descendants and bless her future son, Ishmael. In verse 13 this slave momma says something so powerful in response to God’s command. “You are the God who sees me.”

Think about the weight of those words. God sees you. 

Do you ever feel like you’re not seen in your wilderness? In the busy years of raising babies, it’s easy to feel unseen by others, because the focus is on your child’s behavior and well-being. But friend, God still sees YOU. 

He sees you rocking your sick kid to sleep at 3 am. He sees you reading the same story to your son or daughter again and again and again (because they don’t realize any other books in the universe exist!). He sees you eating those quick high chair scraps because, well that’s your lunch today too!

My dear momma, He sees YOU.

Hagar didn’t have an easy life. She was a slave who was forced to bear someone else’s son, she was mistreated and homeless! And yet, God knew right where she was. I’m so grateful that Hagar and Ishmael’s story doesn’t end there though; in Genesis 21 we see Ishmael and Hagar wandering through the desert about to die of thirst when we see God step into Hagar’s picture yet again. 

Take a moment to read this excerpt from Genesis 21:15-19. 

When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.

¹⁷ God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. ¹⁸ Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

Genesis 21:15-19 NIV

What did God do for Hagar and Ishmael?

You probably answered something about God providing them with water right? But even before He miraculously met their need and saved their lives, He saw them in the wilderness. He hadn’t forgotten about them! And to wrap up Hagar and Ishmael’s story Genesis 21:20-21 shows us that God faithfully provided for them for the rest of their lives just like He had promised Abraham in Genesis 21:13.

Nobody’s life is roses and sunshine 24/7. Our lives contain pain due to the fallen nature of this world. However, just like God saw Hagar and Ishmael suffering in the desert and miraculously provided them a well, He sees you in your struggle or desert and has a well waiting for you. He will never leave you without provision.

Maybe that provision comes in the form of a friend. Or a solid conversation with a wise mentor. God knows what well you need to draw from and He will be sure to provide you with it.

Trust Him. He sees you.

Reflection Time:

Have you sensed God’s eyes upon you during this difficult season?

What are some examples of provisions that He has given you to help you overcome depression or anxiety?

---

We love hearing your thoughts and we want to support you along your journey of mental healing. Leave us a comment and subscribe to our website. We’ll have encouragement delivered right to your inbox!