The God Who Sees

Last updated on: April 30, 2015 at 8:44 pm by The High Calling

The God Who Sees 2015-04-30T20:44:14-06:00 The High Calling

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

by Mary DeMuth

Hagar is my unlikely daily-life heroine. Why? Because she encounters God in the midst of a terrible day. Probably the worst day of her life.

A little background: God promises Abram an heir; but as years tick by, no heir appears. Abram’s wife Sarai takes matters into her own hands by offering her maidservant Hagar to him. She conceives, only to find Sarai horribly jealous. The Scripture says, “So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence” (Genesis 16:6).

Hagar embodies her name, which means flight. She flees.

In the wilderness, hopeless, Hagar, encounters the angel of the Lord. He encourages her, gives her direction. At the end of her conversation, she gives God a name—El Roi, the God Who Sees. Hagar is the only person in Scripture to name God.

It’s this characteristic of God—His all-seeing ways—that we who work and play and parent must understand and believe.

When we struggle to maintain a healthy work schedule despite numerous pressures, God sees.
When we attempt to potty-train our three-year-old for the umpteenth time, having given up on M & Ms, begging, and tears, God sees.
When we feel like Hagar, tempted to flee our circumstances, God sees.
When we do the right thing, though everyone else rails against us, God sees.
When our spouse injures us, yet we love and forgive, God sees.

There is no place God can’t see. There is no situation He cannot discern. He sees it all. Scripture attests to this beautifully:

He sees every workplace, every family. “For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens” (Job 28:24).
He sees everyone’s actions—even those who wrong us. “For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps” (Job 34:21).
He sees every person’s heart and even understands why we live the way we do. “The Lord looks from heaven; he sees all the sons of men; from His dwelling place He look out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works” (Psalm 33: 13-15).
He sees what we’ve hidden and is especially fond of rewarding what we’ve done for Him secretly. “Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:4).
He searches for us, giving us strength when we surrender every aspect of our lives to Him (family, job, friendships, recreation). “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Hagar may be an unlikely heroine—having fled difficult circumstances instead of facing them—but therein lies the serendipitous beauty of God. God sees our own frailty. He meets us as we flee. God gives us hope, encouragement, and his presence so we can meet the challenges and privileges of the workaday world.

This article by Mary DeMuth was originally shared at TheHighCalling.org.

Previous Post

April 29, 2015

Kairos Time in a Chronos World

Next Post

May 13, 2015 I Do: Struggle

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Current Events Interviews Reflections Uncategorized Video Posts Vocation Work Practices

Select a Month August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 December 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

An entire city of 120,000 people repented, yet I was angry when God relented from judgment. Why was I displeased?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Because I looked foolish Because God showed mercy Because my prophecy failed Because they were enemies