“And when The LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.” Genesis 29:31 Supporting Scripture: Genesis 16:13 “And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, thou God sees me…”
Have you ever wondered whether God sees what you are going through? The tears you wipe away before anyone notices. The rejection you struggle to explain. The circumstances that make you feel forgotten. In Genesis 16:13, Hagar called the Lord El Roi—the God who sees me. Today, that same God sees you.
Hagar encountered God in the wilderness after fleeing mistreatment. He knew her name, her suffering, and her circumstances. Later, when she and her son were without water, God heard the boy crying and opened her eyes to a well (Genesis 21:16–19). Where Hagar saw an ending, God revealed provision.
Leah knew the pain of being unloved in her marriage. Genesis 29:31 tells us that the Lord saw her affliction and opened her womb. Her marriage did not suddenly become everything she desired, but God’s care reached her in that painful place. Through her son Judah came the lineage of Jesus Christ. Someone else’s rejection could not erase her place in God’s unfolding purpose.
And God’s sight reaches into places where escape seems impossible.
He saw the men in the fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a blazing furnace because they refused to worship an idol. Yet they were not alone. A fourth figure appeared with them, and they came out unharmed (Daniel 3:24–27). The fire was real, but so was God’s power to preserve them.
He saw Noah amid the flood. Before the waters rose, God provided instructions for an ark. Genesis 8:1 says God remembered Noah. That does not mean He had forgotten him; God acted on his behalf. The waters eventually receded, and Noah stepped into a new beginning.
He saw Daniel in the lions’ den. What others intended as Daniel’s destruction became a testimony of God’s protection. God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths (Daniel 6:22).
He saw Joseph in the pit. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and later imprisoned unjustly, Joseph endured a long road. Yet the Lord remained with him. Eventually, God positioned him to preserve many lives (Genesis 37; 39–41). The pit was a painful chapter, but it was not his final destination.
Perhaps today you recognize yourself in one of these stories. You feel the heat of the fire, the pressure of rising waters, the threat of the lions, or the loneliness of the pit. Perhaps, like Leah or Hagar, you simply long to be seen and valued.
God has not changed. Malachi 3:6 declares, “For I am the LORD, I change not.” Psalm 34:19 promises, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
We cannot dictate the timing or form of His deliverance. Sometimes He opens a door; sometimes He sustains us through a difficult passage. His promise does not mean a life without suffering. It means suffering never places us beyond His presence, care, or redeeming power.
El Roi sees you today. Keep praying, receive the help He provides, and hold firmly to His Word. Your circumstances have not escaped His attention, and His faithfulness has not expired.
Prayer: Father, thank You for seeing every reader in their place of pain. Provide what is needed, strengthen weary hearts, and bring deliverance according to Your wisdom and promises. Help us trust You while we wait. In Jesus’ name, amen.