God Sees You

Maybe you need to read this today. Or you know someone who does. God sees your situation … He’s working.

Hagar was pregnant and alone — at least, emotionally. Although one of Abram’s wives, she wasn’t as favored as Sarai, who emotionally abused her, possibly because of jealousy. Hagar returned fire by flaunting her pregnancy. Distraught and weary, and with few resources, she fled to the desert and called on God. He heard her cries and answered: “You will bear a son; and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has given heed to your affliction” (Genesis 16:11).

Hagar responded with a spot-on observation: “You are a God who sees” (Genesis 16:13).

Stupidity says God doesn’t see. God’s Word says He does.

Many of us can relate to being in a “desert” season. We crave an escape from our present affliction. Although surrounded by dozens of people, we feel alone, helpless, and desperate. Does God see? He sees.

He knows the number of hairs on our head and every tear we shed. He sees our pain and our exclusion. He knows our isolation, loss, and emptiness. He sees it all.

Before becoming Abram’s second wife, Hagar had been a slave and in a position of weakness. In her current situation, she revisited her weakness — defenseless and without hope. Yet God saw Hagar in the desert, and His faithfulness to her was like a stream of water in a dry place.

Sixteen years later and again in a hopeless state, Hagar and her son were forced to return to the desert. With impending death at the forefront of her mind, she called out to God. Again, God heard her cries. While Hagar and her son lay dying of thirst, God opened her eyes to see a nearby well (Genesis 21:15–21).

May God open our eyes, allowing us to draw from the well that sustains us in our dry places. We may desire to escape our situation but we can never escape God’s gaze. He sees us. He sees you.

Adapted from, “Shining Through the Psalms,” by Deborah Presnell, 2018. Available on Amazon

8 Comments

    The Conversation

  1. Meg says:

    Thank you for this reminder! God does see us and loves us. We are never out of His sight 🙂

  2. A great reminder that we are not alone. Some of our circumstances are not caused by us as was Hagar’s situation. Yet God is always there. He rescued her and he rescues us.

  3. I think we’ve all lived through times of desperation, although perhaps not as frightening as what Hagar experienced. But, like her, we’ve also benefited from the loving care of our Father. We’ve probably also been rescued at some point. I’m so glad you shared your message this week. I’m looking forward to more! Wishing you continued blessings in your ministry of service.

    • Deborah Presnell says:

      Katherine, thank you so much for reading and your response. I look forward to more of your blogs and getting to know you better!

  4. Joanna Eccles says:

    Thank you for reminding me that no matter where I find myself, even if it is in a desert I’ve been in before, the Lord sees me and makes a way for me.

    • Deborah Presnell says:

      Hi Joanna, Thank you so much for finding time to read my blog and for your response. I love your website, by the way!

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