The God Who Sees You

"Sarah mistreated Hagar; so she (Hagar) fled from her (Sarah). The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert...And He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarah, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarah,” she answered. Then the angel of the Lord told her:...“You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

No one seemed to care about Hagar, no one but El Roi. El Roi is the Hebrew name Hagar gave God. It means, “You are the God who sees me.” Isn’t that beautiful?! I never tire of reading that…. "You are the God who sees me”.

A godly mother KNOWS the God who sees her. She recognizes He is always near. A worldly mother is only seen by God. She knows ABOUT Him but in her mind He is very far away.

He is the God who sees you! He sees it all. He sees you as much as if there were nobody else in the world for him to look at. Just as God saw Hagar He sees you. And if He can see you, surely he can hear you. This is why it is so perfect that Ishmael’s name means: God hears! She called on the Lord and named Him El Roi, "the God who sees me" and and she named her son: Ishmael which means "God Hears". Hagar knew her God as a God who sees her and hears her and we should too. Sometimes you may feel like Hagar. Cast out. Wanting to flee. Tired of submitting. But please recognize that you serve a God who sees you in your suffering and He is for you and will bless you for your obedience to Him.

Please remember also that God does not merely note your actions and He does not simply notice what is the appearance of your countenance like people do; He sees what you are thinking of; He looks within. God has a window into your heart. This should sober us and encourage us at the same time.

R. C. Sproul said: "There are many things in my life that I do not want to put under the gaze of Christ. Yet I know there is nothing hidden from Him. It would be one thing for Him to love us if we could fool Him into thinking that we were better than we actually are. But He knows better. He knows all there is to know about us, including those things that could destroy our reputation. He is aware of every skeleton in every closet. And He loves us."

He sees it all! Not just the big things but the small. Sometimes it feels like my day is filled with just “small things”. Changing diapers, wiping down counters, making pb&js, wiping snotty noses, breaking up squabbles, washing dishes, shopping, holding a fussy kid ...and then I start over again the next day.


God instructs us to not despise the days of small things in the book of Zechariah. He was a prophet and during his time there was a man named Zerubbabel. He had the responsibility to finish the work of rebuilding the temple. Things had been stalled, and Zerubbabel needed encouragement to carry on the work. Just like we often need encouragement to carry on our work. Zech. 4:6 says: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Isn't that encouraging? The Lord would say the same thing to us as moms. It is by His Spirit that we are able to lay a foundation day in and out for our children even though at times it may feel like our work has stalled...or is not going as planned…or it is exhausting us emotionally and physically. It is not by our power or might that we can finish this great work. It is through our relationship with God and our utter dependence on Him that we can lay a foundation for our children.

Later on in chapter 4 vs. 10 it says: "Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it...For who has despised the day of small things?'" 


Just like Zerubbabel we are laying a foundation that our hands must finish. Day in and day out we pile small things on top of small things making a big thing. We may not be building an actual temple for the Lord but hopefully our homes are serving as a sort of temple for Him to dwell in. We are building and pouring into our children's lives for Him everyday.

 
David Guzik said: "When Satan tempts us to despise the day of small things, he shines as an outstanding liar because he fears the day of small things in our life because he sees what great things God does in them and brings out of them."

Our days are filled with small things moms! Do not despise them. They are laying a foundation for our children that remains for life.

Keep in the forefront of your mind that you are serving a God who sees you. He sees when you wash the dishes for the umpteenth time, or serve your husband when you would rather not, or patiently endure another day of sibling rivalries.

A few months back my friend Kandie sent me a great video that relates to what I am talking about perfectly. I wanted to share it with you all!

Watch it here!

You may feel invisible. But to Him you are very visible.

In closing I would like to share some encouraging words from author Sally Clark. She said: 

“It is not the grand, noble accomplishments that are the most profoundly valuable to God. It is the unnoticed, the invisible practicing of being faithful, courageous when no one else is looking, that become the jewels of our faith in the eyes of God.

Accepting a loud, boisterous child and seeking to be patient and gentle over and over again...Working beyond exhaustion and getting up in the middle of the night, again, for a sick child, when there was no one to help or anyone to be a friend. Enduring by choice the heavy burdens of the tests of marriage.

Cleaning up messes one more time. Making another homemade meal when a nap or getting far away seemed more desirable. Having one more devotional in the midst of wiggly, distracted children and believing that somehow eternity was entering their hearts. These, and more, are the noble and valiant, priceless works of motherhood. Take courage today. Your labor is not in vain.” 

You are serving a God who sees you.