There are many people in the Bible who were lonely. Overlooked. Outcast for something beyond their control. They all had one thing in common. Whether it was….
HAGAR, the woman caught between a rock & a hard place as the mother of Ishmael, Abraham’s first born, a slave with no say in the matter, treated less than kindly by her mistress, Sarah (Genesis 16).
The SAMARITAN WOMAN, married five times and currently living with a man, who Jesus met and spoke with at the well (John 4:4–42).
THE WOMAN WITH THE BLEEDING DISORDER, who had been taken advantage of by doctor after doctor over 12 years with no relief, who only wanted to touch Jesus’ robe in private to be finally healed (Luke 8:43-48).
The 10 LEPERS, who would have lived on the outskirts as the skin condition, leprosy, they had was considered ‘unclean’ and meant they could not live with their families and communities (Luke 17:12-19). In particular, the SAMARITAN LEPER.
PAUL, the religious man who hated Jesus followers enough, he tried to wipe them all out (Acts 9:1-19).
In each scenario, God showed up. He spoke to them in ways which gave them peace, restored what had been taken, healed places within needing His touch.
Hagar was able to return and live under Sarah.
The Samaritan woman encountered a non judgmental & wise Jesus so powerfully, she told everyone she met about this God who truly saw her. The Jewish & Samaritan people usually avoided one another over religious difference.
The woman with the bleeding disorder was called out openly by Jesus, and restored publicly so she could reenter society. Able to meet her friends and family for a meal once again.
The 10 lepers were healed by Jesus as they walked towards the priest to be inspected. The one who returned to Jesus to say thank you was a Samaritan
Paul and his companions encountered Jesus in a bright flash of light, leaving Paul blinded after audibly hearing Jesus say, “Why are you persecuting Me?” as well as where to go & who to see to have his sight restored. And Paul went on to preach & reach countries as a result of His encounter with the God who saw him!
In each encounter, God saw each person on the inside. He ministered to the ones usually overlooked and treated as second class citizens. The lonely, the hurting, the broken.
EL ROI is the name Hagar gave to this amazing God. And as Pastor Glenda pointed out to our church this past Sunday, this Egyptian slave woman was the only person to give God a name He did not give Himself!
#theGodwhosees #sharingHope #hopefortheharddays
KARLA LEES 