Friend, Genesis 16:13 gives us one of the most tender names of God in all of Scripture.

Hagar is alone. Used. Forgotten. Sent away into the wilderness with more questions than answers. And right there, in the middle of her pain, she calls on the name of the Lord who spoke to her and says, “Thou God seest me.”

That name changes everything.

This is not a distant God who only watches from heaven. This is El Roi, the God who sees. He sees the tears you cry when no one else notices. He sees the prayers you whisper when you are too tired to speak them out loud. He sees the weight you carry that never makes it onto a prayer list.

Sometimes we think being seen means being exposed. But in Scripture, being seen by God means being known, loved, and cared for. God did not just see Hagar. He came to her. He spoke to her. He gave her a promise.

And here is the encouragement for today. If God saw Hagar in the wilderness, He sees you right where you are. In your waiting. In your confusion. In your quiet faithfulness.

You are not overlooked. You are not forgotten. You are not invisible.

The same God who saw her sees you. And when God sees you, help is already on the way.

So lift your head today and take one steady step forward. El Roi is watching over you, and His eyes are full of grace.

Genesis 21:33 says, “And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.”

I love that picture. Abraham didn’t just pass through Beersheba. He planted something there. He put roots in the ground. He slowed down long enough to mark the moment and acknowledge the God who had brought him this far.

Sometimes faith looks like moving forward. Other times, faith looks like planting a grove. It looks like saying, “God has been faithful here, and I’m going to remember it.” Abraham called on the name of the Everlasting God, not because everything was easy, but because everything was secure in Him.

That word everlasting means God is not in a hurry. He’s not aging. He’s not wearing out. The same God who was faithful yesterday is faithful today, and He will be faithful long after this moment passes.

If life feels unsettled, maybe it’s time to plant a grove. Pause. Worship. Call on His name. Let your soul rest under the shade of the Everlasting God. What He started, He will sustain. And what He promised, He will finish.

 Genesis 17:1 says, “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”

I picture Abraham standing there, years deep into the promise and still waiting. He is not a young man anymore. He has tried to help God out a time or two. He has learned that faith can get tired, even when it is sincere. And right there, right in the middle of waiting, God shows up and introduces Himself with a name: El Shaddai, the Almighty God.

God does not start with what Abraham needs to do. He starts with who He is. “I am the Almighty God.” In other words, “I am enough. I am sufficient. I am not limited by your age, your mistakes, or the calendar you are staring at.”

Then God says, “Walk before me.” Not run. Not perform. Not impress. Just walk. Day by day. Step by step. Stay close. Stay honest. Stay present.

And when God says, “be thou perfect,” He is not talking about flawlessness. He is talking about wholeness. A heart that is fully His. A life that is surrendered, not spotless.

Here is the encouragement today. If you feel stretched, delayed, or unsure, remember who is walking with you. El Shaddai has not lost His strength, His timing, or His promise. Keep walking. Stay before Him. The God who called you is more than enough to finish what He started.