Gen 16:13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
When Abraham left Mount Moriah, he called God, Jehovah -Jireh, The Lord will provide. Gideon built an altar and named God, Jehovah Shalom. These are considered the progressive names of God, leading us to Gabriel’s deliverance of the name Jesus.
However, the first person to name God was Hagar. When Abraham and Sarah failed at producing a child, Sarah thought it good for Hagar to have a son on her behalf. We know that this was a tragic mistake which has rippled to this very day. When Ishmael came, so too did Sarah’s jealousy. Hagar and Ishmael were soon banished from their home.
Hagar is considered the bondwoman. She has no real standing; no honor or position. Even in her own time, Hagar is dismissed as a means to an end. The sad truth is that more people can identify with Hagar than Sarah, though few even know her name. She was not included in any lineage or inheritance. Her sole ambition was simply to raise her son Ishmael. When she was removed from the comforts of her appointed life, she felt alone and abandoned. It was not her choice alone to have a baby with Abraham, nor was it part of her plan to be a thorn in Sarah’s side. In fact, Hagar had been Sarah’s handmaiden which meant she served Sarah and was close to her.
But Ishmael presented complications which could not be denied leaving Hagar to wander in a dry, wilderness place. It is there that the Lord came to rescue her. Hagar named Him, Jehovah-Roi, or the God Who sees me! Gen 16:14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi ; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.
For us all, we are never out of His sight. He is still El-Roi! God has you in His sight. He is concerned about your life and He has prepared a way. He knows our coming and going. He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. In fact, wherever you go, the Lord is waiting. He is our help and strength. He is our keeper. His name is Jesus and yes, He is El-Roi! The God Who sees me!
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole