Post by lesbrewer on Jul 21, 2022 20:04:21 GMT
God Sees You By: Karen Huang
Click here for the Audio Message
You are the God who sees me.
Genesis 16:13
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Genesis 16:7-16
Early mornings can be painful for my friend Alma, a single mum of two. She says, “When everything is quiet, worries surface. As I do household chores, I think about our financial concerns and the kids’ health and studies.”
When her husband abandoned her, Alma bore the responsibility of raising her children on her own. “It’s difficult,” she says, “but I know God sees me and my family. He gives me the strength to work two jobs, provides for our needs, and lets my kids experience His guidance each day.”
Hagar, an Egyptian maidservant, understood what it meant to be seen by God. After she got pregnant by Abram, she began to despise Sarai (Genesis 16:4), who in turn mistreated her, causing Hagar to flee to the desert. Hagar found herself alone, facing a future that seemed bleak and hopeless for her and her unborn child.
But it was in the desert that “the angel of the Lord” (v. 7) met her and said, “The Lord has heard of your misery” (v. 11). The angel of God gave Hagar guidance on what to do, and He assured her of what the future would hold. From her we learn one of the names of God—El Roi, “the God who sees me” (v. 13).
Like Hagar, you may be on a difficult journey—feeling lost and alone. But remember that even in the wasteland, God sees you. Reach out to Him and trust Him to guide you through.
Reflect & Pray
How could knowing God as El Roi—the God who sees—change your view of your current circumstances? How can you respond to Him?
God, thank You for the assurance that I’ll never have to journey through life alone. I know that You see me, and that You’ll always be with me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
How encouraging it is to know that those who are marginalised by what others do to them or by what they do to themselves don’t escape the attention of God. Genesis 16 emphasises this with two names—the name of a place, Beer Lahai Roi (“the well of the Living One who sees me,” v. 14) and the name of a son, Ishmael (“God will hear,” v. 11). The words “the Lord has heard of your misery” (v. 11 ) show the keen nature of divine hearing. The root word of “has heard” is the oft-used Hebrew word shama‘, which means “to hear, listen, or obey.” Indeed, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry” (Psalm 34:15).
Arthur Jackson
Genesis 16:7-16
King James Version
7 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
Click here for the Audio Message
You are the God who sees me.
Genesis 16:13
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Genesis 16:7-16
Early mornings can be painful for my friend Alma, a single mum of two. She says, “When everything is quiet, worries surface. As I do household chores, I think about our financial concerns and the kids’ health and studies.”
When her husband abandoned her, Alma bore the responsibility of raising her children on her own. “It’s difficult,” she says, “but I know God sees me and my family. He gives me the strength to work two jobs, provides for our needs, and lets my kids experience His guidance each day.”
Hagar, an Egyptian maidservant, understood what it meant to be seen by God. After she got pregnant by Abram, she began to despise Sarai (Genesis 16:4), who in turn mistreated her, causing Hagar to flee to the desert. Hagar found herself alone, facing a future that seemed bleak and hopeless for her and her unborn child.
But it was in the desert that “the angel of the Lord” (v. 7) met her and said, “The Lord has heard of your misery” (v. 11). The angel of God gave Hagar guidance on what to do, and He assured her of what the future would hold. From her we learn one of the names of God—El Roi, “the God who sees me” (v. 13).
Like Hagar, you may be on a difficult journey—feeling lost and alone. But remember that even in the wasteland, God sees you. Reach out to Him and trust Him to guide you through.
Reflect & Pray
How could knowing God as El Roi—the God who sees—change your view of your current circumstances? How can you respond to Him?
God, thank You for the assurance that I’ll never have to journey through life alone. I know that You see me, and that You’ll always be with me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
How encouraging it is to know that those who are marginalised by what others do to them or by what they do to themselves don’t escape the attention of God. Genesis 16 emphasises this with two names—the name of a place, Beer Lahai Roi (“the well of the Living One who sees me,” v. 14) and the name of a son, Ishmael (“God will hear,” v. 11). The words “the Lord has heard of your misery” (v. 11 ) show the keen nature of divine hearing. The root word of “has heard” is the oft-used Hebrew word shama‘, which means “to hear, listen, or obey.” Indeed, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry” (Psalm 34:15).
Arthur Jackson
Genesis 16:7-16
King James Version
7 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
