God Sees You...And That's A Good Thing!

Do you ever feel invisible? As though everyone around you looks past you or through you?  Well, I have some good news for you...  Even when it seems that no one sees you or understands what you are going through, God sees you.  He really sees you - and that's a good thing!

In Genesis 16, we find the story of Hagar - a young Egyptian girl, sold into slavery, far away from her family and friends.  She had little or no control over what happened to her in her life.  Now, her mistress, Sarai, was ordering her to sleep with her husband, Abram, so that she would get pregnant and have a baby for them.  So, Hagar slept with her mistress' husband and became pregnant with a baby.  But, Hagar's relationship with her mistress deteriorated to the point Sarai abused her, and now Hagar found herself on the run in the middle of the desert.

Her situation seemed hopeless.  She was a woman alone in a male dominated culture, pregnant, rejected, cast out after being used, feeling that no one cared about her and no one understood her.

But, in Genesis 16:7, the Angel of the Lord found Hagar by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on her way to Shur.  Then, the angel spoke to her saying, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?"

First, it is important to note that the Angel of the Lord found Hagar.  You don't find someone unless you are looking for them.  So, here we see the Angel of the Lord went looking for Hagar.  It is also interesting to note that word "Shur" means "wall."  So, in a way, you could say that when the Angel of the Lord found Hagar, she had her back against the wall.  Finally, the Angel of the Lord, called Hagar by name.  If you read Genesis 16 in its entirety, you will notice that neither Sarai nor Abram ever referred to Hagar by name.  But, when God spoke to Hagar, He called her by name, which speaks to her significance and value to Him.  He didn't ask her where she was from and where she was going because He needed information.  Rather, His questions are an acknowledgement of Hagar's situation, her pain, her desperation, and her hopelessness...

Hagar response to the Angel of the Lord is brutally honest:  "I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai."  The Angel of the Lord responds to her honesty by telling Hagar what she does not want to hear:  "Return to your mistress and submit to her."  But, He doesn't stop there - He promises Hagar a future for her unborn son.

In response to God's promise, Hagar does something that no one else in recorded history has done - she named God!  In Genesis 16:13, she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, "You are the God who sees me - El Roi."  I find it interesting that the Hebrew word here for "sees" does not refer to one who is like a spectator at a parade, but speaks of one who looks carefully and observes details; one who looks with interest and for a purpose.  Ours is a God who looks at us and sees the details of our lives and is moved with compassion.  Yet, although He sees our circumstances and is touched by their effect on our lives, He sees our future.  And it is a future full of hope and purpose.

In essence, God told Hagar that although her circumstances would not necessarily change (i.e., she would have to return to Sarai and submit to her), Hagar could be confident that God sees her and He has a purpose for her life; indeed, her future would be blessed.

So, when you are blinded by the storms of life, and overwhelmed by darkness, and you cannot see God, remember this:  He sees you.  He knows where you are; He knows what you are going through; He knows what you need.  God sees you and that is a very good thing!