Hagar said: “You are the God who sees me…I have now seen the One who sees me.”

GENESIS 16:13

For centuries, people have wanted to be seen⎯to be noticed, heard, taken care of, and valued.

Even John the Baptist⎯who leaped while he was still in the womb when he sensed the presence of Jesus (Luke 1:41), who foretold the coming of Jesus, and saw the Holy Spirit descend like a dove after he himself baptized Jesus (Mark 1:7-10)⎯even he found himself questioning whether Jesus was really the one. Surely if he was the one, John wouldn’t stay locked in a prison cell.

But there he sat, hearing about all of the miraculous things Jesus was doing⎯feeling confused and unnoticed. He sent messengers to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:2-3)

Of course John knew that Jesus was the one! He spent his whole life foretelling the good news of Jesus. So what was at the root of his question? It was simply that . . . questions! Jesus, don’t you see me sitting here? Can’t you see that I need help?

Jesus sends a reply that seems rather cryptic. It sounds something like this: Tell John that I am the one who sees the blind and restores their sight. I am the one who sees the lame and causes them to walk. I am the one who sees lepers and makes them clean. I am the one who sees the dead and restores life. I am the one who sees the broken and brings good news.

And yes John, I am the one who sees you behind bars and leaves you there.

Jesus loved John and he saw him. He saw him as a precious prophet who was willing to die for his belief in the Messiah, and as a friend who would be with him in heaven.

John was focused on his prison cell, Jesus saw the eternal picture.

Do you ever feel like John⎯full of questions, wondering why God is ignoring pain and bondage? Feeling like he doesn’t see what you want him to see? Feeling like answers will never come?

Those feels are so real . . . but they are directly rejected by scripture.  

El Roi sees. And he hears.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help.” (Psalm 34:15)

He works things together in ways we cannot understand and in ways may not like.

“For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

Even Jesus prayed for the Father to see him and rescue him from pain⎯but with the same breath, his heart cried out, “not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

“... yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

1 Corinthians 13:9-12 says that we are only able to see in part . . . we only understand in part. But when we stand face to face with Jesus, we will understand fully, even as we are fully known. What an amazing hope!

Making it Personal

  • What questions do you have for God today?
  • What circumstances do you want him to see and resolve?  
  • Is your heart willing to pray the same words Jesus did in Luke 22:42?
  • Pause to pray for the comfort and peace that only El Roi can give.
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