"El Roi"-The God Who Sees

Genesis 16:13 (NLT)

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?”

Hagar said those words in the middle of a desert. She was tired, heartbroken, and had no idea where to go next. Grief can feel the same way. It doesn't always look like you'd expect it to. For you, it might look like a name you can't bring yourself to delete from your phone, a song that suddenly hits different or an empty seat on the pew beside you at church.

God didn't wait for Hagar to pull herself together. He met her right where she was, in the middle of nowhere, full of pain and confusion. He reminded her that she was not forgotten like she was feeling and He does the same for us. When we are sitting in our own deserts, wondering if anyone sees how much we are hurting He whispers the same thing to our hearts, "I see you, I know. I am still here." WHEW!! (That'll make you want to shout right there.)

At Merea Ministry we believe that nobody should have to walk through that kind of desert alone. That's why Tuesday nights are set aside for GriefShare. It's a safe place to rest and be reminded of God's nearness. A place where His Word does what only it can do, bring peace to a hurting heart.

For the next 12 Tuesdays at 6 pm, participants will gather and watch a short video, share if they want to and find comfort in knowing others understand. There is no right or wrong way to be here.

Healing doesn't happen overnight, but our God has a way of bringing comfort one step at a time. Each week in GriefShare, we are reminded through His Word that the same God who saw Hagar in the desert still sees us in our own desert of loss and heartache. He is still, El Roi - The God who sees!

Carly