Blog Series Part 3: Nine Names of God {God Who Sees + The Provider}

This has been such a fun series to work on this month! The Holy Spirit has reminded me of each name I’ve studied and has truly made these names come alive in my life. I pray that you’re blessed by these names as much as I have been. In case you haven’t read the first few posts, start here…

Part 1: The Creator + The I AM (Click HERE!)

Part 2: The Father + God Most High (Click HERE!)

We have an intrinsic, fundamental need as a culture to be seen by people. I taught 2nd grade for several years and as my students grew up and went on to middle or high school, they would all ask the same question any time I saw them around campus: “Do you remember my name?” We desperately want to be seen and known by someone. How much more of a gift is it to be seen by the creator of the universe? He doesn’t fall asleep, get annoyed, or get busy. He never stops seeing us.

Hagar was the first to proclaim that God was El Roi, “The God who Sees Me!” The story of Sarai and Hagar is both interesting and slightly disturbing. (Genesis 16) One chapter before, God made a blood covenant with Abraham and promised him offspring that would outnumber the stars. Abraham believed this promise in faith, and even though he must have rushed home to tell Sarai, she hadn’t grasped the promise yet. Maybe she thought she was helping God by setting things into motion - giving Abraham offspring through her servant, Hagar. After being assaulted by Sarai, Hagar fled to a nearby spring of water. An angel met her in the wilderness, tended to her heart, and then urged her to return to Sarai and submit to her. She received a comforting promise from the Father that she would conceive a son, Ishmael (whose name meant “God hears,” so she was seen and heard!) She named the spring of water, “the well of the Living One who sees me” and left feeling revived and encouraged, knowing that He was the God who met her in her brokenness. She had “seen the One who looks after her.”

The Word: Genesis 16:13, Genesis 16:1-16, Deuteronomy 12:28, Psalm 33:18-19, Psalm 121:3, 5-8, Proverbs 15:3, Matthew 5:8, Matthew 6:3-4

Prayer: Father, your Word says that your eyes are upon even the weakest worshipers who love you, on those who wait in hope and expectation for the strong, steady love of God to breakthrough! You see us, all of us. Not one is forgotten or unknown. Even if there was only one person on the earth, you still would’ve sent Jesus to die for them. Thank you for seeing us and meeting us in our brokenness, just as you met Hagar in the wilderness. We trust you and wait upon you! AMEN!

Not only does God see us, but He also sees ahead of us. He knows what’s coming. Nothing is a surprise to Him. He provides enough and then more than enough. This name for God, the Provider, sounds pretty from the outside, but becomes tangibly real when we really need Him. When we live out God as the Provider, when he supplies us in supernatural ways, this name comes alive.

Yahweh Yireh, “The Lord will Provide,” came alive to Abraham just in time. As a test of Abraham’s faith and obedience, God told him to sacrifice his only son Isaac on Mount Moriah. According to the Word, Abraham was immediately obedient, packing all of the wood for the burnt offering and hiking for three days along with two young men and his son, Isaac. He had three days to change his mind. Three days to turn around, to choose disobedience, to choose his son over the Father. But, he kept walking. With God as his GPS, he saw the mountain where he was to take Isaac up to sacrifice him. In a beautiful, prophetic act of what was to come a few thousand years later, Isaac carried the wood up the mountain, just as Jesus later would on this same mountain range. Abraham comforted his son when Isaac asked where the lamb was that they were to sacrifice and he confidently replied that the Lord himself would provide the offering. Abraham then built the altar. Again, he had time to change his mind. Time to turn around, grab Isaac’s hand, and race down the mountain. Instead, he bound Isaac’s hands with tears pooling in his eyes, I’m sure. After convincing Isaac to lay on top of the wood and raising the knife in the air, the Lord provided a ram at just the right time. (Genesis 22)

With about 4,000 years separating us from this story, we can easily be tempted to read this with judgmental, harsh, post-resurrection eyes. We can’t imagine God “tricking” Abraham to get this close to killing his son. How could a loving God do such a thing? Abraham had learned through previous trials that the Lord was faithful to provide. He gave him a son at the age of 86 with Hagar, and then again at the age of 100 with Sarah. The Lord spoke to him and promised him nations, offspring, and abundant land. He’d interceded for Lot and Abimelech and God answered his prayers. He’d seen the Lord heal Sarah and female slaves and open their wombs. He’d witnessed miracles and he was expecting more! Abraham believed in faith that the Lord would provide the sacrifice. And guess what? He did!

The Word: Genesis 22:14, Genesis 22:1-18

Prayer: Father, when I look back on how you’ve provided for us, I see that you’ve proven yourself time and time again. You see us and you see what’s to come. Why would I worry or fear the future? Open my eyes to see how you’re providing for those around me. Open my eyes to see and expect miracles, just as Abraham did. Thank you for providing all that we see and all the things we never even notice. We praise you in advance for how you’re providing for our future and making so much good out of our mess. You are such a good Father. Amen!