El Roi

Stop

Today we look at a third name that describes an attribute of God: El Roi. It means the God who sees.

Listen

Read Genesis chapter 16, a story about Hagar. Genesis 16:13 says, “So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are El-roi”; for she said, “Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?”

Reflect

This is a very disturbing story. Sarai did not believe God’s promise. She gave in to fear and took matters into her own hands. She gave her slave, Hagar, to Abram to make a baby. Hagar became pregnant and gave birth to a son, whom they named Ishmael. Hagar sees the fact that she gave Abram a son as a way to belittle Sarai. This angers Sarai and she tells Abram to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael. Abram relents and sends them away.

Sounds like a soap opera, doesn’t it?

Imagine how Hagar must have felt. First, she is a slave. She was most likely given to Sarai by the Pharoah in Egypt. She is not seen as a human being with value. She is seen as an animal that exists only to serve the whim of her masters. She was sexually violated when her masters made her conceive a child. Then, when her body is used and abused in this way, she is punished for it.

She can’t win.

She has been cast out, discarded as even more worthless than a slave. It can’t get much worse than this. Can anyone see her? Does anyone care?

God does. God sees her pain…and loves her. God blesses her and Ishmael.

Hagar is the only person in the Bible who calls God El Roi: the God who sees.

Pray

Oh God who sees the unseen, who hears the voiceless, please give us your eyes and ears. May those who feel invisible know that you see them. Amen.

Carry On

May you go into your day with two truths today. 1. If you feel invisible, know that God sees and loves you. 2. God sees the invisible people when those whom the world sees take notice of them. Notice who you notice today.