Beer-lahai-roi

Loneliness. Despair. Hopelessness.

When trials come our way we have choices to make. Choices on how to respond. So often, our responses are these. We fear and are drawn into ourselves. We put on blinders to what God has called us to and promised us.

Genesis 16 is the story of Abram and Sarai's lack of faith, trust and hope in their God who promised them a great name, and as many descendants as the stars in the sky. They are old in years and have never had children, and doubt that God will accomplish this. So Sarai acts on her own and draws her husband in to this doubt. He listens to his wife and has a child with Hagar.

Isn't this so much like us in trusting God's working hand? We act in faithlessness when we try to orchestrate the outcome of our situations. We end up with more failure and eventually have to come back on our knees confessing our control issues and speaking forth trust in the Lord again.

Hagar, Sarai's maid, is drawn into this doubt as well. She becomes with-child, and now, Sarai becomes jealous and hateful. Hagar flees this situation and finds her pregnant self in despair next to a stream in the wilderness, with no where to go. But God sees her. He commands she go back to her mistress and submit to her. Hagar believes.

She believes in this God who spoke to her and gave him the name, You are the God who sees. She had hope. She felt the mercy being poured out on her. All alone, pregnant and outcast, she knows this God cares. As a remembrance, she named the well there, Beer-lahai-roi; well of the Living One who sees me.

He sees us, friends. He knows your every fear. He knows you want to escape the trial He has placed in your life. He sees me. He sees me. Out of all the billions of people in this world, He sees me.

He is Beer-lahai-roi!