Beer-lahai-roi

Listen carefully. You may hear her. Look closely. You might see her. Stop. You may sense her discouragement, her pain, her hopelessness, her loneliness. I did.

I have heard it said that soul pain in one's life is not measurable. One person's heart pain is no greater or less than another. When one is hurting deeply, the cause of the pain is not necessarily the issue. The fault of the pain is not even necessarily the issue. The pain itself is what is debilitating, discouraging and devastating.

I have experienced that type of pain. I know the utter hopelessness and the loneliness of that place. If most people were to be completely honest with themselves, I would think that they would agree they have also been there. If someone has not found themselves in that place, I would venture to say they will at some point.

Heart pain seems to be no respecter of persons. Emotional trauma does not appear to have favorites. Human tragedy apparently is not selective.

I recently reacquainted myself with a young lady who surely felt such life pain. In her pain, in her loneliness, in her devastation... she revealed extreme hope to my wearied soul.

She was homeless. She was jobless. She had no status. She was with no one. She was in distress.

She was expecting a baby. She had no husband. The father of her baby had washed his hands of her and the child. She had no hope.

He was a married man. The wife of this man had mistreated her. She felt she had no options. She fled. In her escaping, she stopped by a stream in the desert. That is where I found her. That is where we became reacquainted.

As I observed her at the stream in the desert, I recognized something. She was not alone.

In her personal desert, He spoke to her . In her hopelessness, He brought his very presence. In her devastation, He offered promise. She was desperate. He was all she needed.

She named this one speaking words of life and hope to her soul. She saw who He was. She knew Him and affirmed it... "You are the God who sees me."

In her darkest moment, He knew her. He heard her. He spoke to her. He saw her.

When everyone else was gone, she was not alone. When her world appeared to be crumbling around her, He remained true to Himself. He was the God who sees.

She was instructed to name the child she was carrying Ishmael which means "God hears". Even in her situation, God heard her.

She named the well where she was sitting, Beer-lahai-roi which means "Well of the Living One who sees me". Even in what I can imagine was excruciating soul pain, God saw her...

Genesis 16: 13-15 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?” So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael."

Message
She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, "You're the God who sees me! "Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!" That's how that desert spring got named "God-Alive-Sees-Me Spring." That spring is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. Hagar gave Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael."

Take a moment my friend and pull up to the stream. Glance at your surroundings. Perhaps you've noticed for some time that you are in a desert. Maybe you've wandered to the desert without even knowing it. Maybe you are in the desert but haven't wanted to admit it.

Sit. Let your heart examine this place. You may realize you are by a rushing stream with lush green grass and blue skies. Your heart is healthy, vibrant, full of hope and life.

However, as you take some time to sit quietly, you may notice that your surroundings aren't as beautiful as you thought or wanted to believe. You may begin to recognize that the dust is blowing, the sun is hot and the land is parched. You may notice the loneliness of this place.

If this is where you find yourself, pull up beside Hagar (as I did) at that stream in the desert. Become acquainted with her. Recognize she was at risk for soul death just as you may be. As you sit, be reminded of what she recognized and saw. Be reminded of what I recognized and saw.

You will not find yourself crying out in your desert in vain. You are in the presence of a God who hears you. Be reminded of a well called Beer-lahai-roi and know you are accompanied by the Living God who sees you.

Click here and be confident..."You're Not Alone". (by Meredith Andrews )