03/04/2025
Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?" - Genesis 16:13 NKJV
Let's go back in time and meet a woman named Hagar. She was an Egyptian slave in Abraham's household. Abraham was a wealthy man who had many servants and flocks. He was married to a beautiful woman named Sarah.
God had blessed him and he seemed to live a charmed life. The only thing Abraham and Sarah didn't have, was children.
An interesting dilemma, because when Abraham was 75 years old, God had promised that he would be the father of many nations. Hard to be a father if you don't have any children.
About eleven years after God had made the promise to Abraham, Sarah grew tired of waiting. She suggested Abraham take her maid, Hagar, and have a child with her. That child would become Sarah's child.
No one asked Hagar if she wanted to become Abraham's concubine. No one asked how she felt about having her child claimed by her mistress.
No one asked Hagar anything. She was simply a commodity in a business transaction. The item that was being traded.
She was unseen. Insignificant.
When she got pregnant, Hagar felt superior to her mistress. She had accomplished something Sarah hadn't been able to for all her wealth or beauty. She, Hagar, the Egyptian slave, would become a mother.
Before that happy day, however, Hagar would have to experience more hardship.
The Bible tells us that Sarah treated her harshly (Genesis 16:6). We don't know what Sarah did to Hagar, but it was so bad that Hagar ran away from her.
Let's think about that for a moment. Hagar fled from her mistress without food, water, or any provision rather than remain in Sarah's presence.
She must have felt alone. She wasn't from the land of Canaan and had left the only people she knew behind. What was she going to do? How was she going to survive? What would she eat? Where would she go? If she survived until her baby was born, how would she take care of it?
Maybe you've felt like Hagar.
Unseen.
Unimportant.
Unknown.
But Hagar's story doesn't end there.
The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness (Genesis 16:7). Look at the first thing that He said,
"Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?" - Genesis 16:7
Do you see it?
The Angel calls her by name.
And by designation.
If He knew those two things about her, He already knew the answer to the questions He'd asked.
He knew she was Sarah's maid and had recently come from Sarah and Abraham's dwelling place. He also knew she had nowhere to go.
God Himself came down to Hagar and met her at her lowest point.
When she felt alone, He showed up in the midst of her pain.
He instructed her, blessed her, and prophesied over her.
How rightly then did Hagar say that she had seen the God who sees her?
My friend, I don't know when you first started thinking you were invisible. Or maybe not invisible, exactly. Unseen. Unimportant. Unknown.
I'm here to tell you that sometimes the way you feel is not a reflection of what is true.
Like Hagar, God sees you. He knows the pain you're going through and He's calling you by name. He's saying, my sweet child, where have you come from and where are you going?
Tell your pain to Jesus and allow Him to show you the path out of it.
Allow Him to bless you and to prophesy over your life.
God sees you, and He desires to be seen by you.
Prayer
Oh, Great El-Roi, I'm thankful that You see me just as you saw the Egyptian maid in the wilderness. I bring all my pain and whatever circumstance I am in, to You and leave them at Your feet.
Thank You for wanting to draw close to me. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
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