“El-Roi”
The angel of the LORD found her by a
spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.
And he said, “Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have
you come form and where are you going?” She said, “I
am running away from my mistress Sarai.” The angel of
the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her.” The angel
of the LORD also said to her, “I will so greatly multiply your offspring that
they cannot be counted for multitude.” And the angel of the LORD said to her,
“Now you have conceived and shall bear a son; you shall call him Ishmael, for
the LORD has given heed to your affliction. He shall be a wild ass of a man,
with his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; and he shall
live at odds with all his kin.” So she named the LORD who spoke to her, “You
are El-roi”; for she said, “Have I really seen God
and remained alive after seeing him?” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh
and Bered.
Haagar bore Abram a
son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ismael.
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
Hagar named her God something that
roughly translates to God being the one who sees. In other words He did not
leave her in the wilderness. Even though the pregnancy was ill-advised, God
took care of Hagar.
Our God, Hagar’s “El-roi,” can see our past misery, our present pain, and our
uncertain future. He is so watchful that He knows when the smallest sparrow
perishes. And He is the God who sees and cares for you today.
Keep your eyes
on the LORD;
He never takes
His eyes off you.
Our Daily
Bread –