El Roï - The God Who Sees

In Genesis 16, Hagar flees into the wilderness — tired, mistreated, and alone. There, by a well, God finds her. He doesn’t scold or ignore her; He sees her. Hagar names Him El Roï — “the God who sees me.”

Nathanael has a similar moment with Jesus. Jesus sees Nathanael long before they meet. He sees the Samaritan woman at the well, when everybody else avoids her. She goes there at noon, when no one will be around – but Jesus is already waiting. Scripture says, "He had to go through Samaria." Why? Because He had to meet her. He had to see her.

God sees you the same way. He isn’t distant or distracted by more important things. He knows every detail of your story – the joys and the sorrows. His gaze is not one of judgment but of love that draws you near.

To follow Jesus is to learn to see as He sees. Look around you. Who might be overlooked, lonely, or unseen. Who needs someone to notice, to listen, to remind them they matter? When you stop to see someone with compassion, you reflect the heart of the One who first saw you.

Jesus doesn’t just see who we are; He sees who we can become. He names gifts and calls out purpose. As He does that for you, you can do the same for others.

Reflection Questions

• How does it feel to know that Jesus truly sees you?
• Who around you might be “unseen” and in need of encouragement?
• How can you affirm the gifts and beauty you see in others today?

Prayer

Lord, thank You that You are the God who sees me. You know me, You made me, and You are so intensely involved in my life. Help me, Lord, to see others in the same way. Help me to have an eye for people who are lonely. Thank You El Roï, the God who sees. Amen.