There are moments when we feel invisible, unheard, and alone. Scripture meets us there with a name of tender comfort. El Roi, the God who sees. He sees where we are, what we carry, and who we are becoming by His grace. When we feel overlooked by others, God’s attentive gaze gives us dignity, guidance, and hope.
“The angel of the Lord found Hagar by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, servant of Sarai, 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 to her. I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the Lord said to her, Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen. So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You are a God of seeing, for she said, Truly here I have seen him who looks after me. Therefore the well was called Beer lahai roi. It lies between Kadesh and Bered.” Genesis 16:7 to 14 ESV
God sees, knows, and cares for us in the wilderness, leading us with promises that restore our dignity and direction.
Big Idea 1: God Sees You in the Wilderness
God’s attention finds us in forgotten places.
Hagar was a foreigner, a servant, and a woman on the run. Yet the angel of the Lord found her by a spring in the desert. El Roi, the God who sees, meets us when we feel discarded and alone. He does not glance and pass by. He looks with compassion and calls us by name.
This seeing is more than awareness. It is care in action. God listens to our affliction and speaks into our confusion. He names our pain without minimizing it and offers a path forward that is shaped by His wisdom and love. To be seen by God is to be known and valued when we feel most unseen by others.
When we believe that God sees us, despair gives way to hope. The wilderness may not change immediately, but our hearts do. We begin to notice signs of His presence, wells of refreshment in dry seasons, reminders that we are not forgotten.
Big Idea 2: God’s Word Gives Direction and Dignity
The God who sees also speaks.
Hagar received both a command and a promise. God’s instruction was clear, and His promise was generous. El Roi, the God who sees, restores dignity by giving purpose. He tells us the truth about our situation and guides our next step with wisdom that we cannot see on our own.
God’s word dignifies the overlooked. He gives a name to Hagar’s son that memorializes His listening heart. In the same way, Scripture names our identity in Christ and anchors our future in God’s faithfulness. We are not defined by rejection or failure. We are defined by the One who sees us and calls us beloved.
As we follow His word, courage returns. Obedience becomes possible because we are not walking in the dark. The God who sees our path also lights it. His promises steady us when the road requires patience and perseverance.
Big Idea 3: Seeing God Changes How We See Ourselves and Others
Worship reframes our story.
Hagar named the Lord and then named the well. Encounter led to worship, and worship led to remembrance. El Roi, the God who sees, transforms our self-understanding. We are not invisible. We are seen, known, and looked after. That truth heals shame and strengthens weary hearts.
When we live seen by God, we begin to see others with new compassion. We slow down to notice the unnoticed and speak life to those who feel small. We become wells of refreshment for people in their own deserts, pointing them to the God who looks after them.
Seeing God also grows gratitude. We look back and trace His care through detours and delays, through people He sent at the right time, through mercies that met us when we lacked strength. Gratitude becomes our testimony that the Lord’s eye is on us and His hand is for us.
Conclusion
You are not invisible. The Lord knows your story from the beginning to this moment, and He looks after you with faithful love. Take comfort in El Roi, the God who sees. His gaze is not distant. It is near, attentive, and kind. He meets you in the wilderness and leads you toward hope.
Choose today to name a well of remembrance. Write down one moment when you knew God saw you. Let that memory strengthen your faith for what lies ahead.
Action Step
Identify one person in your world who might feel unseen. Reach out with a specific word of encouragement or a practical act of care. Pray their name and ask God to open a well of refreshment for them this week.
“I have seen the Lord.”
John 20:18 ESV
Where have you experienced the Lord’s attentive care? Share a short story in the comments so others can be encouraged. Subscribe for more devotionals and send this post to someone who needs to know God sees them.
Prayer
El Roi, the God who sees, thank You that Your eyes are on me. Look upon my needs with mercy, speak Your word into my confusion, and lead me on the path of hope. Help me to see others as You see them and to be a well of encouragement in their wilderness. Amen.
It begins with Christ!
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Blessings,
Chad
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