Name of God
El Roi
“The God Who Sees Me”
Roi in the original Hebrew means “seeing, looking, or gazing”. The Name El Roi was ascribed to God by Hagar in the sixteenth chapter of the book of Genesis. Having been humiliated and abused by her mistress Sarai, Hagar ran away and found herself alone, pregnant, and desperate in the wilderness.
The Angel of the LORD came to her. To her surprise, he spoke to her, asking her why she was there. After she told him of her anguish, the Angel instructed her to return to Sarai. Furthermore, the Angel of the LORD told Hagar of God’s plans for her yet unborn son. Hagar realized that El Roi knew her and had seen her in her distress! Therefore, she testified that He is a God Who Lives and Sees All.
El Roi is The God Who Sees Me. In other words, when we feel most invisible and forgotten by everyone else, we can remember that God does see us. In fact, He knows all of our thoughts and feelings.
In the Gospels, we see that Jesus knew the thoughts of His disciples and people around Him. Thus, Jesus demonstrated that He is El Roi.
Application: There are no circumstances in our lives that escape God’s Fatherly awareness and care. God knows us and our troubles
Prayer to El Roi
Genesis 16:13
ESV: “So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’ “
NOG: “ Hagar named Yahweh, who had been speaking to her, ‘You Are El Roi.’ She said, ‘This is the place where I watched the one who watches over me.’ “
Prayer to El Roi
“Lord, so often I feel alone. Sometimes I wonder if I am invisible. Life continues on day to day without me, it seems. My struggles are not seen by most people. I hide my tears, I hide myself.
Oh God, King David’s words in Psalm 139 speak to me. They remind me that You knew me before I was born. You know me, You see me in my struggles and hard times. I remember that You are El Roi, You know me and You see me! You do not forget me. I am not invisible. Thank you, El Roi. Help me to remember that You see me! Amen”
“EL ROI” DEVOTION BY JILL BRISCOE,
Creative Bible Journaling, New Zealand
Genesis 16:13–14 (NIV) “Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”).
Ishmael slumped beneath a bush, hoping for relief from the desert sun. Hagar had watched him drink the last of the water. It wouldn’t be long, she thought, until the boy was past helping. She could do nothing for him.
Unable to bear her helplessness in the face of his anguish, she sat down several yards away wailing out her grief.
In the midst of her despair Hagar suddenly heard a voice calling: “Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying. Lift him up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened Hagar’s eyes and she saw the thing she dreamed of—a well full of water.
Many years later, the psalmist echoed words that must surely have been on Hagar’s mind during her ordeal: “I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God” (Psalm 69:3).
The promise God had made to Hagar and Ishmael so many years before stretched itself thin during their time of trial, but never so thin as to break, for God upheld the word He had spoken years before. Remember this when you fail for a time to find God’s help or to receive answers to your prayers.
Ask El Roi, the God who sees you, to open your eyes to His work and to increase your faith even and especially when His promises seem impossible to fulfil.
Lord, I praise you for you know the whole story. From beginning to end, You see it all. Give me the humility to admit my limitations. For I don’t always see the past accurately, my vision of the present is often blurred, and I am blind when it comes to the future. Help me fasten my eyes on You, trusting in Your vision for my life and in Your watchful care.
Learn more of “El Roi” in this video!
Posted on YouTube, December 8, 2020, by The Daily Devo
Song “The God Who Sees Me”, by Liz Cornwell
Posted on Youtube, Feb. 17, 2019
Download/Print CBJ’s “El Roi Printable”
Ready to color and use as a tip-in, in your bible, as seen above. Drawn by Jill Briscoe.
CBJ External Links
Courtesies ~ Credits ~ Fine Print
The “Many Names of God” Blog (aka NOG Blog) is provided by Creative Bible Journaling, specifically as a tool for members to enhance their bible knowledge and their journaling experience. Research was accomplished by Joan Fudala, with the use of 27 different resources, both online and physical. The traced images she used throughout this blog are from the adult coloring book, “Color the Names of God”, with artwork by Marie Michaels. All content was compiled and formatted by Susan Stump and Lorraine Szontagh. The black and white printables were drawn by Jill Briscoe and Jackie Mattingly. Any videos will be courtesied when/where posted.
We have done our best to provide accurate information, but translations, meanings and variety of resources may occasionally disagree. CBJ takes no responsibility for inaccurate information found on the internet. No monies have been exchanged for A) use of anyone’s intellectual content and/or B) viewing any content/blog posts on the CBJ website.
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