Visible to the Invisible

“So she named the LORD who spoke to her: ‘You are El-roi…In this place, have I actually seen the one who sees me?’ That is why the well is called Beer-lahai-roi [Well of the Living One Who Sees Me].” Ge 16:13-14a

Poor Hagar. One day she was a servant girl in the home of Abraham and Sarai and the next day she was married to Abraham. She soon became pregnant with his child at the insistence of Sarai, who was barren. As soon as she conceived Sarai became incessantly jealous of her and ran her off. Hagar was only guilty of being used as a vessel to fill another person’s desire. Being forced from everything she knew she found herself in the wilderness feeling distraught and invisible. No doubt she felt disconnected from her previous life. While by a spring she was visited by a messenger from God who comforted her and prophesied over her. He gave her knowledge of future blessings, and a reason for living. The message was so clear and the experience so powerful she named God as the one who saw her at the well. She would never forget that well where she was heard…seen…cared for. Hagar escaped when she felt she was out of options, but she experienced the extravagant grace of God. He saw her pain and he heard her cry and met her in her deepest despair. In His great wisdom He instructed Hagar to return to the same home from where she fled, but she was not the same person. It had to make returning home a little more tolerable… a little more hopeful…with a little more empowerment.

I’m wondering this morning who feels invisible? Who feels like they are completely misunderstood…misrepresented…miserable in their circumstances? Who of you feels victimized like Hagar by someone who didn’t have your best interest at heart? Many times, we arrive at a crossroad by no fault of our own. We might be experiencing circumstances because of decisions of another person. Like Hagar, we can run but we cannot hide. Grace will come and find us, and grace will carry us through our circumstances. Many times, God will allow us to remain in our challenging situations, but He will never take His eyes off His children. ‘Whether we’ve been unjustly knocked down and drug out to the wilderness, or we’re waking up in our warm beds with a thirst only He can satisfy – wherever we are, God sees us. He hears our pleas, and He meets our needs.’ She Reads Truth Bible, p. 33.