“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
One of the names of God in the Bible is El Roi. This name is introduced by a woman most would have counted as disqualified to give a name to God. First, she was a woman—not a positive back in the Bible times. She was a maid. Strike two. She became a concubine—not a position with strong influence normally. Then was treated harshly by her master’s wife and fled while pregnant with her master’s child. Her name was Hagar, the mother of the son of Abraham called Ishmael. (The Bible is anything but boring! This sounds like it could be a reality TV show called The Real Wives of Bible Times!)
Her story is tragic. You can read more about it in Genesis 16. Can you imagine her pain? Did anyone really see her up to that point? Her identity and labels had been: maid, concubine, and a way for Abraham and Sarah to have a baby. Used and abused. No one really saw her…no one saw who she was as a person—Hagar. No one but El Roi—the God who sees.
Hagar was more than a maid, concubine, or even the mother of Abraham’s son. She was a daughter, God’s daughter. And you don’t mess with Daddy’s little girl.
El Roi sees you. He sees your pain. He sees your loneliness. He sees you just as you are and He loves you just as you are…You are His little girl or boy.
Perhaps today you are wondering if anyone sees you. Maybe labels have been placed on you. Post-abortive, abused, rejected, abandoned. Perhaps you have been mistreated and abused. Your identity is not your past or mistakes you made. It is also not your successes or positions you hold. Labels can also come in the forms positives or position: Pastor, intercessor, leader, teacher, professional, driven, talented, etc. None of these labels define you. Your identity is simply…daughter or son of the Most- High God. Your identity is solely what Hagar discovered…that God saw her as His daughter, His beloved. You are His beloved daughter and He is your loving Father.
Father, may we tear down the labels we have placed on ourselves or that others have placed on us. Lord God, El Roi, thank you that you see us just as we are, your beloved daughter or son. May our identity rest completely in that truth and all other labels are demolished. Thank you that we don’t have to fear being seen by you, our loving Father. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.