God Sees

El Roi is a Hebrew name for God and translates as “the God who sees me.” How appropriate since there are absolutely no circumstances in our lives that escape His fatherly awareness, care and all seeing eye. God knows our troubles. He sees our needs and deeply cares for us. 

Do you remember what you were doing early March 2020 when the Covid-19 virus transitioned from something happening in China to directly impacting our lives in the US? Colleges shut down and students were asked to return home as the virus spread across the world. My husband and I were waiting for our second son to come home from college. He didn’t show up that Wednesday night as planned; his phone went immediately to voicemail when I called and there was no response to my many follow up texts. 

Being a positive person, I told myself that no news can be good news. Thursday night we went to bed thinking: surely he’ll get in tonight - maybe late. Then, close to midnight the phone rang, and we learned why our son wasn’t home - he had been arrested on multiple drug charges and was in jail. When we heard the charges, which carried a minimum 7 year prison sentence, we were stunned. My husband’s comment was a simple, “I can’t fix this.” Then, we prayed. We poured out our hearts before God.

After a restless night, my husband bailed our son out of jail and brought him home Friday morning. Because of Covid, he had been placed in a cell by himself - just one of many of God’s mercies as we walked this trial. 

The family rallied to encourage him: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks - we ate together. Walks and runs - we did those together. Childhood games like Blockus - we played them together after dinner and then stepped into the garage to throw darts--always with the thought that our days together were limited.

In every way we could, we showered him with ‘light,’ reminding him that he was part of a family that loved him. And as we witnessed the caged - trapped look in his eyes, we prayed that the light would come back and somehow his eyes would show a reflection of hope.

Our oldest son moved home, decidedly for a few weeks prior to his brother going to the “place that must not be named,” the name we collectively gave jail, in an effort to lighten the heaviness of his pending future. And then, the trial date got delayed. Another mercy from God - time together, time to reflect, time to let the crazy world stabilize.

Our oldest son is the one who sees the details -- he is the “show me your homework” kind of guy -- he was the first to discover that his younger brother had stopped attending classes weeks prior to his arrest, leaving him academically behind and a very limited path to graduation. Because we were in the season of Covid, class requirements changed and classes could be taken pass/fail and even dropped without penalty after you got your final grade. Never in the history of college had this been an option, so pursuing his education became a viable option and gave him something to focus upon besides the “place that must not be named.” Once again, we received news that the trial got delayed. 

Fifteen weeks post-arrest, he walked into the room where I was sitting with tears streaming down his face and cried out, “Mom, I can’t lie to you anymore. I just got saved.” 

His journey of submission to God began that day. The journey that anyone who asks Jesus to be their Savior is on - seeking to be more like Jesus. 

Lord, help us to never forget that we are desperate for You! “None is righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10 ESV)  

Once again, the trial got delayed. We get to see his faith ‘walk’  grow as he proclaims to anyone who will listen: people walking around college campuses, homeless people, family and friends. He prays and looks for opportunities to share his story. The light in his eyes is back, and for the first time since he came home, he appears relaxed and at ease.

The following year, he graduated with an engineering degree and two days later was working full-time for a man who has a heart for helping young men who have made costly mistakes in life. Another one of God’s mercies as it can be difficult to find someone who will hire you when you have multiple felony charges pending.  

We lost count of the number of times the trial got delayed, but 608 days after being arrested - 1 year, 8 months, and 17 days later, all charges were dropped. 

Only the grace of God made this possible and I’m reminded: “For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.” (Luke 1:37 AMP)

There is so much more to this story, but I’ve provided the short version to bring you to a most recent event. Two years, five months post-arrest our son got engaged to a lovely young woman who loves Jesus. Can you move more starkly from impending doom to exuberant hope and joy?

As the mother of the groom, I was to speak at the rehearsal dinner. As I am crafting what I will say, I am reminded of the words to one of my favorite songs.

When I Think About The Lord by AUTHORS:  John P. Kee and James Cleveland

When I Think about the Lord, 

How He saved me, how He raised me, 

How He filled me with the Holy Ghost. 

How He healed me, to the uttermost. 

When I think about the Lord, 

How He picked me up and turned me around, 

How He placed my feet on solid ground 

It makes me want to shout, 

Hallelujah 

Thank you JESUS,

LORD, you’re worthy, of all the glory, and all the honor, and all the praise.

My speech includes these words:

 “Son, Psalm 9:1 reads: 

 ‘I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will recount and tell aloud all Your marvelous works and wondrous deeds.’ (Psalm 9:1 AMP) 

God picking you up, turning you around, and placing your feet on solid ground -- son, that was a marvelous work and a wondrous deed, and it really does make me want to shout Hallelujah!”  

My speech is ready to go. Then, two weeks before the wedding, my son tells me, “Mom, I’ve picked out the song you and I are going to dance to at the wedding. Want to hear it?” 

“Sure," I reply. 

My son has not heard my speech. He knows nothing of what I plan to say. Then, he plays the song that God gave me when I prepared my remarks, and I start sobbing. God sees.

When things like this happen, I am reminded of that Hebrew name “El Roi” - the God who sees me. He sees me, and I just imagine that He’s smiling.

Ps 139:8b-10 (AMP) reads, “No matter where I go, …. Behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”

God SEES and loves each of us! His grace exceeds our greatest need and can deliver us from any destructive decisions we’ve made or misdirected actions we’ve taken. 

If you have never trusted Him, trust Him today. He loves you, and He wants you to walk with Him. Psalm 34:8 (KJV) reads, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” 

I promise you that there is nothing more fulfilling in this life than knowing Jesus and having a relationship with Him! The Psalmist says it better than me in Psalm 16:1;11 (NASB) “Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in you. You will make known to me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

He is El Roi, the God who sees YOU - find Him today, He’s right there in front of you.

For the believer - give Him thanks and shout Hallelujah. As desperate as my son was before he gave it all to Jesus and as concerned as I was about losing him to the “place that must not be named,” we were all at one time desperate and heading towards an eternity without Him. 

Hallelujah for the gift Jesus has provided us by taking our sin on the cross. Hallelujah that we have forgiveness from sin. Hallelujah, we have His Word to help grow into His likeness. And Hallelujah, we have His promises. Every one of them. 

How many do you know? Only two things on this earth will live forever. One: the souls of men and women-in heaven or hell. When was the last time you shared the good news of the Gospel? Two: God’s Word. It’s worth knowing. Open it today!