EL ROI - "The Lord Who Sees"

GOD made me ponder over this word “El Roi” and the story of Hagar past 1 week. Here I sit to write about it just as I try to see the situation thru her eyes and cant help the tears profuse…

At the wilderness, Hagar the Egyptian slave woman an outcast names the lord “El Roi” - The Lord who sees. THE LORD WHO SEES !!! – How powerful? What are the emotions running thru her mind when she called out the GOD Almighty (El Shaddai) with that name?

  

It’s a story that everybody knows…it is the story that everyone has read. Every time I read, my heart weighs heavy for that poor Egyptian woman.

Brought by Sarai from her native land leaving her family and friends to serve her,

Ordered by her mistress to bear a child for her Master Abram,

Fled into the desert with an unborn child unable to handle the harshful treatment of her mistress Sarai,

Came back to bear a child and be mistreated again,

Silent spectator to see her beloved son denied heir rights and place,  

Banished from the land into the desert by her Master Abraham, father of her son who should stand up for her.

Desolate and with no help, or food, or water left to see her only son die….My heart moves in compassion for this woman. I cant help thinking of such women in this world right now,.. at this moment suffering one or all of the above feelings

Powerless, Penniless, Angry, Afraid, No hope for future with her world falling apart she makes a plea to the lord. To the lord of the Abraham, to the maker of heaven and earth when she runs away the "first time" from her masters unable to handle the harshful treatment.

Her spirit is crushed, her soul aches, her tears pours directly from her heart in agony, she cries a river.

She hears the Angel. The Angel of GOD gives her the promise of GOD to the fleeing Pregnant Hagar to go back to Abram & Sarai (Later called Abraham & Sarah).

Genesis 16

¹³ She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the GOD who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen^[c] the One who sees me.”

Things did not change in a minute. Things are not rose and red around there. Yet, with the hope she walks back only to be banished. El Roi didn’t come just once to her. He comes again restores her hope and he keeps his promise to her and make a nation out of her Son.

Yes,…We serve a Lord “WHO SEES”,.. Who SEES thru our situations, trials and tribulations! Our afflictions he know. In all circumstance, his WILL alone be done.

As I think deeper, I wonder if Hagar hoped “Unlike me, my son will grow into a free man”  - when she agrees to bear a son for her Master.

Yes, Hagar and Ishmael are freed by Abraham their master,..but into the wilderness. Like we are Free. But we are in wilderness of this tempting world.

“Ishmael” – God Listens” when we walk thru the wilderness.

But its thru “Immanuel – God is with us” who died on the cross for our sins, our life is restored for eternity.

Let us all revere El Shaddai, El Roi ! Let the Heaven Praise the king of kings, lord of the lords! GOD BLESS!!!

PRAYER

Its been few days since GOD had put this word in my heart to write. It took all this time to get this on draft. Distraction,..busyness of the daily life,..got ruminant of  past, its poignant reminders, some kind of sudden hopelessness of this life filled me to the point that I was alarmed in spirit that I should get this online as soon as possible.

The word as you know is PRAYER.

Lets see…

HOW?

Jesus Christ in the book of  Matthew 6:5–15 has already given a prayer template.

Would this small passage be just enough? Really…???

Actually YES! All it has to be is “heartfelt”. That’s the key – “Heart Felt”. The same prayer can be made to the King of Kings, Lord of Lords petitioning with bitter tears oozing out of a broken heart, yearning for his grace and mercy, pleading for forgiveness and comfort

OR

 the prayer can be done rejoicing his love and wonders of his amazing grace, exalting his majesty in a thankful tone.

OR

Stoic..,? drained out? still keep the prayer in the lip…at the least. It helps. God is awake and he listens.

HOW OFTEN?

Do you know our Muslim brothers sisters by law need to pray to GOD  5 times. FIVE TIMES! And they are thankful its FIVE times. The legend says if its not for MOSES (Prophet Musa), it would be Fifty Five times.

Do you know Judaism ask for 3 time prayers? Old testament talks about praying Three times in the Book of Daniel and Psalms.

Daniel 6:10 (NIV), “Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before

Psalm 55:17 ‘Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.”

How many times we pray? Once in the morning?

Let me be honest, I hardly made a good one prayer in the morning. But then I changed I made it a point to make a prayer in the morning and one in the night along with Bible reading. I see a big difference.

However I have noticed most of my Catholic friends praying “GRACE” before their meals. Muslims have this too.

In general I guess we need to make sure we make atleast 2 – 3 prayers a day. With morning prayer Surrendering the day to GOD, Thanking GOD during the course of the day and Thanks giving prayer before bed.

Don’t forget the wear the ARMOR OF GOD as you make your morning prayer.

PRAYER FORMAT:

 Matthew 6:

9 Pray then like this:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

As you see Jesus teaches us to seek and pray for GOD’s kingdom in the first half and later talks about OUR needs.

WHO NEEDS PRAYERS?

Prayer is not meant only for needy Christians. It is meant for every Christian and it is needed every day. That’s why Jesus said in Mathew 6: 5 “And when you pray” not If you pray.

Prayer is the communication, conversation between you and GOD. A Family, A Corporation, A School/University, A Friendship excels only with better communication. For our better spiritual enlightenment and blessed life PRAYER is the only remedy. C’mon, Lets keep it going!!!