Loving Guardian

   Have you ever been in a dark place in life, where it felt like God had abandoned you? Or are you perhaps in a place like that right now? Well, God has recorded a story for us in Genesis, about a woman who felt exactly the same way.

   Her name is Hagar, and she is a handmaiden to Sarai, the wife of Abram, to whom God has promised a son. However, Sarai is old, really old, and has not been able to have children, even when she was young! So, Hagar's mistress, Sarai, decides to give Hagar to Abram as another wife, hoping that perhaps God will give him a son, through this younger woman.

   Guess what? It works! Hagar soon finds out that she is going to have a child, the child that Sarai was never able to have, and she gets pretty cocky about it. You see, in that time, it was a disgrace not to be able to bear children, so since Hagar could, she thought that she would rub it in a little. (Okay, probably alot!)

    As I'm sure you can understand, this makes Sarai very upset, and she ends up driving Hagar into the desert, where Hagar finds herself alone, by a spring of water. This is also, where God finds her. Here is what happens next:

Now the Angel of the Lord found her

by a spring of water in the wilderness,

by a spring of water on the way to Shur.

And He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, 

where have you come from, 

and where are you going?" She said,

"I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai"

The Angel of the Lord said to her,

"Return to your mistress, and submit

yourself under her hand."

Then the Angel of the Lord said to her,

"I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, 

so that they shall not be counted for multitude."

And the Angel of the Lord said to her:

"Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son.

You shall call his name Ishmael, 

because the LORD has heard your affliction.

He shall be a wild man;

His hand shall be against every man, 

and every man's hand against him.

And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."

Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her,

You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees

   -Genesis 16:7-13a

  Right here, in Genesis 16:13, is the first place that we see today's name of God: El-Roi, which means "The God Who Sees". In the midst of Hagar's darkness, in the midst of her despair, God saw, and brought instruction and a promise to her. 

   I love how is says that God found her. Now, I don't know how that word is supposed to read in the original text, but in English, it brings to mind, the Truth that the Lord is our shepherd, and He seeks out His sheep. 

   I also think it's interesting, that it is partially Hagar's fault that she is out here in the desert. It was Hagar, after all, who turned up her nose at Sarai, and despised her mistress. But just as that didn't stop God from seeking her out, and comforting and instructing her; when we belong to God, our sins don't keep Him from seeking to draw us nearer to Himself. Yes, we may find ourselves in the desert for awhile, seeking a spring that will not satisfy, but God will never give up on us!!!

   Alright, back to my main point! hehe!!! 

  God not only sees us in the desert, He also sees:

1. Our need. Matthew 6:8 says that our Father knows what we have need of, even before we ask! 
2. Our hurt. Psalm 56:8 says that God keeps count of our tossing's, and puts our tears into a bottle! How mind-blowing is that?!?!?!?
3. Our sin.  Proverbs 15:3 says that the eyes of God are in every place, watching the evil and the good; and Psalm 90:8 goes even farther, by saying that our secret sins, are spread out before God! Oops! This one is definitely more uncomfortable, isn't it?
4. Our heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 says that while man looks on the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. This one could go either way. It could be good, if we are like David, or it could be not so good, if we are more like his brothers! 

   I hope that this post, has encouraged you in your walk with God, and perhaps given you a healthy dose of the fear of the Lord! :) I would love for you girls to share some other ways that God sees us, or perhaps, how it makes you feel to know that God is always watching over you! ( Secure, convicted, safe...) I hope that you all have a beautiful day, of drawing nearer to our precious Lord and Savior!!!