The God Who Sees

There are many names of God found in Scripture and each of them describes an attribute or characteristic of who He is. One of these names is found just once, yet speaks volumes of who God is. It speaks of his omnipresence; his ability to see and be aware of all things at all times in all places. It is a name that no one but a holy God can possess.

In Genesis 16:13, Hagar addresses God as El Roi--the God who sees me. Hagar wasn't exactly in a great place when she uttered these words. She had fled into the wilderness--alone and pregnant carrying Abraham's child. She fled because his wife Sarai, who had come up with the idea of having Hagar conceive in her place, became resentful towards her when she actually did conceive. Hagar's acknowledgement of El Roi happened when an angel of the Lord appeared and told her to return to Sarai and that she and her offspring would be blessed (v.9-11).

Because God is El Roi, the God who sees us, we can full confidence that he knows everything about us. Every minute detail down to the number of hairs on our head. Because we worship El Roi, we have no reason to harbor unconfessed sin and we have His promise of forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness if we confess (1 John 1:9). Hebrews 4:13 says: And no creature is hidden from his sight, but we are all naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Proverbs 5:21 reminds us that the Lord sees and examines all our ways. He is the Righteous Judge.

In addition to loving us in spite of our sinful condition, the God who sees us will reward us for all the things we have done in His name (Matthew 10:42). He sees all of the unfairness, the unjustness and the iniquities that have existed throughout time and will set the record straight. He will wipe away every tear as life has conquered death and old things have become new (Revelation 21:4).