Life Focus

Reflections on the Names of God

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

El Roi, God Who Sees

From "Lord, I Want to Know You", "He is El Roi, the God who sees. The omnipresent God is there, and His eyes are not shut. He isn't asleep, unaware of all the circumstances. He sees." The first place this name of God is found is in Genesis 16:13.

The primary characters in this chapter are Sarai, Hagar, Abram and God. Sarai made an offer to her husband and he followed through. Sarai asked Abram to take Hagar so that Sarai might have a son through Hagar, as Sarai was barren. Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, did as she was told and was then mistreated by Sarai for doing as she was told. Hagar ran the situation was so unbearable, but an angel of God instructed her to return and submit to Sarai. Hagar was promised her descendants would be too numerous to count. Hagar named God El Roi because He had seen her situation.

Now for the moral of the story: Sarai wanted what she wanted when she wanted it. God had promised her she would have a son. But she got impatient and did it her way and then was not happy with the result. It is best to hold on to God's promise and let Him take care of the timing.