By Andrew Williams
He Is (Week 1: The Foundational Names)
Opening Prayer
God Who Sees Me, thank You that I am never alone or forgotten. In my moments of pain and isolation, help me to feel the comfort of Your watchful eyes.
Today’s Scripture (NLT)
Genesis 16:13
“Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, ‘You are the God who sees me.’ She also said, ‘Have I truly seen the One who sees me?'”
This is one of the most intimate and personal names of God in the entire Bible, and it’s given not by a patriarch, but by Hagar, a fugitive, outcast, and hurting servant. Having been mistreated and cast out, Hagar flees to the desert alone and hopeless. It is there that God meets her, comforts her, and gives her a promise. Her response is to give God a name: El Roi, “The God Who Sees Me.”
This name reveals that God is not a distant deity, unaware of our personal suffering. He sees the individual. He sees the forgotten, the marginalized, and the brokenhearted. To know God as El Roi is to know that you are never invisible to Him. He sees your struggles, He hears your silent tears, and He knows the pain in your heart.
In a world where it’s easy to feel overlooked and misunderstood, El Roi is a profound comfort. There is a God who sees you, knows you completely, and cares deeply about the details of your life. You are not just a face in the crowd to Him.
Disciple’s Life Tip: Interact with God as El Roi. Think of a hidden struggle or a secret pain you are carrying. In prayer, simply say, “El Roi, thank you for seeing me in this. Thank you that I am not alone.”
Closing Prayer: El Roi, the God Who Sees Me, thank You for the incredible comfort that comes from knowing I are never out of Your sight. May I live today with the confidence that I am seen, known, and loved by You. Amen.
