Seen

by Ryan Krzykowski

There’s an old story about a single Mom-to-be, who many years ago was all alone, shunned and abandoned by pretty much the only people in the world who might have been positioned to offer love and support to her and her new baby boy.  In the midst of her distress, she encounters God, receiving clear direction and a blessing.  And while the story gets extremely complicated and messy, the woman ends up being reconnected with her family, and both she and her son are cared for again. 

This story is found in Genesis 16, when elderly Abram and Sarai grow impatient waiting for their promised heir.  Taking matters into their own hands, Abram fathers a child with a servant named Hagar who winds up leaving Abram’s care after being mistreated by Sarai.  There’s a lot in this story that is weird and ugly, but there’s one aspect that is quite beautiful.  After fleeing Sarai and Abram, Hagar has a conversation with an angel of the Lord, who tracked her down.  Hagar later refers to God as El Roi, the God who sees me.

How often in our lives do we struggle with feeling alone or abandoned?  We need to be seen.  And this passage demonstrates a glorious truth about our God — when we are in the depths, He sees us and pursues us.  We are always known, always seen, no matter where we are or what we are going through.

There are people in our lives who are desperate to be seen.  As we consider how wonderful it is to be seen by God, let’s ask Him to give us eyes to see others.

Let’s Coach With Purpose…