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
Many times what God promises us does not immediately materialize at the time it is spoken, or even shortly after. More times than not, it takes years, long periods of time, before our eyes can see the materialization of the promise.
As such, it is human tendency to begin to second-guess God, to give our interpretation or “re-interpretation” of what God said rather than just taking Him at His words. When we begin to “re-interpret”, then we make decisions and do things to make our interpretation [come] true.
During the past two weeks, I have been feeling compelled to revisit the story of Hagar and El- Roi, The God Who Sees. As I re-read the chapter where this account is detailed – Genesis 16 – I was struck at the central theme of seeing that was portrayed. These are my reflections that I wrote as I meditated on this account.
It is interesting how chapter 15 of the book of Genesis ends with God promising Abram that he would have descendants and His descendants will inherit the Promised Land, then chapter 16 begins with “Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children.” Sarai’s interpretation of this fact was if “The Lord has kept me from having children” but has promised Abram children, then I am not the channel that God will use to birth these children. There must be another.
BE CAREFUL OF HOW YOU SEE!
YOUR SIGHT/PERSPECTIVE DETERMINES YOUR INTERPRETATION.
vs. 3-5 The narrative continues with Sarai choosing her Egyptian maid, Hagar to be the answer to God’s promise. Hagar was given a role that was not hers to fill and as such could not handle her new position. She became a victim of someone else’s wrong vision and subsequent wrong decision. Consequently, her sight also became affected and Hagar changed from being a humble servant to a haughty servant (vs.9). Her being in a wrong position gave her an incorrect perspective.
BE CAREFUL OF HOW YOU SET OTHERS UP AS A RESULT OF YOUR DECISIONS!
WHEN WE ARE NOT POSITIONED RIGHT, WE CAN’T SEE RIGHT.
vs.6 Abram was seen as a passive character in this chapter. He heard his wife’s analysis of the promise of God and went along with her plan. According to Scripture, he did not waver at the promise of God (Romans 4:18-22). How he saw God did not change AND how he saw his wife did not change. Sarai may have become despised in Hagar’s eyes and in her own eyes, but in his eyes she was still his wife, and Hagar her maid.
vs. 7-14 In all of this God was also seeing. He saw but did not intervene. God did not step in and correct Sarai’s faulty sight/interpretation. He did not step in and correct Abram for following Sarai’s plan. He did not step in when Hagar’s vision also became faulty and her attitude changed toward Sarai. He did not step in when Sarai treated Hagar harshly and, He did not step in when Hagar was contemplating running away. He was seeing it all.
However, He stepped in after Hagar ran away and was in the wilderness on the way to Shur. God comes looking for us when we have exhausted our own efforts and are ready and open to hear and receive a word from Him. We are told that “the angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert...” (vs. 7-12). Her conversation with the Angel of the Lord reveals that God not only heard her affliction but He also saw her – Hagar. He is El-Roi, The God Who Sees.
Hagar was surprised that the Lord God would take notice of a mere Egyptian maid. She was shocked that He came looking for her; that He had thoughts about her and plans for her and her unborn child. He even maned her child and assured his prosperity.
Hagar could identify with the psalmist that wrote Psalms 139:1-6:
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
Friends, the Lord God is that God-Who-Sees-YOU and sees about YOU; the God-Who-Watches-Over-You. Even when your sight becomes blurry/faulty and you lose your way, He will find you and re-route you on your path home. He is the Lord God and He sees YOU!