THE GOD WHO SEES

Lately I came home from a WalMart run with a huge blessing.  As I was pushing out my cart that was full of prizes, I noticed a teaching friend from years ago named Sue.  Sue was shamelessly hugging two WalMart associates.  She was flushed and emotional, so I went up and asked why she was loving on strangers.  Turns out she had just been a victim of a theft!  Sue had been checking out and her wallet was up on the little counter.  The felonious associate smoothly walked by and swiped the wallet without Sue even seeing. Then he just disappeared.

Sue was frantic.  She had $300 in cash, which was the least of her worries.  All those cards in the wallet brought vulnerability that made this over-seventy lady feel like she was twisting in the wind.  She did all she knew to do.  She prayed and went to tell a manager.  Then she sat down on one of those front benches to wait...afraid her goose was cooked.

WalMart is a wonderful company.  We love to shop there and save money; we love to park there in the RV and feel their security cameras keep us safe.  And this day, those inside security cameras were doing their thing.  They recorded the incident and within minutes security found the perp before he exited the store.  Her wallet was brought back...$300 and all.

After we enjoyed her restoration, I said "I've been studying the names of God.  Let's think who took care of you this morning."  Sue said "oh, I have one of those charts in my Bible".  But she was still so discombobulated she couldn't think.  And I began to think out loud..."well, there's Provider God (Jehovah Jireh).  He provided help, but that doesn't seem just exactly right."  I thought a few more moments and then it hit me.  The One who took care of Sue that morning was El Roi, the God who sees.  He used the WalMart camera eye, but it was God who knew Sue's plight and answered her prayer.

Similarly, Genesis 16 tells the story of the outcast Hagar.  She was in the middle of the wilderness (think that's how Sue felt?) with neither water, food, nor options for her child or herself.  An angel came to Hagar with help and Hagar said "Thou art a God who sees!"  Our Bible translates the word that Hagar used as "God"...but in the original Hebrew, it was "El Roi", one of God's specific names that refers to a trait that He is displaying.

El Roi was very gracious to Sue that day at WalMart.  He saw and He acted on her behalf just as He acted for Hagar.  We've always heard of God's everlasting arms.  It's a comfort to know He also has all-seeing eyes that look to show Himself strong for hearts that belong to Him. 

"For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."  2 Chronicles 16:9