El Roi – The God Who Sees Me

Discover the meaning of El Roi, the God who sees you. Explore His deep care in hidden struggles like grief, illness, motherhood, and feeling unseen.

In the movie Avatar, there’s a scene where the characters greet each other with the phrase, “I see you.” But they don’t mean just “I notice you” or “I’m physically looking at you with my eyes.” It’s much deeper than that.

“I see you” means I know you. I understand you.

I don’t just recognize your face, I recognize your heart. Your intentions. Your grief and your joy. It’s a kind of seeing that goes beyond the surface.

That phrase has stayed with me, because I think that’s the kind of seeing my heart craves most – not just being noticed, but being known. Fully.

In my insomnia journey, most people have no idea how hard I’ve fought for a night of sleep (years of specialists, meds, every supplement on the planet, and even brain therapy).

People are quick to jump in with advice like, “…but have you tried blackout curtains?” not knowing that I have not only tried blackout curtains, but I sleep with an eye mask, ear plugs, a pillow over my head, and every tiny light in my room covered (including the light on my smoke detector).

It makes me feel so. unseen. They don’t get it. They don’t see how hard I’ve tried. They don’t see me.

But God does. He’s seen every part of this battle of mine. He’s seen every hope of new treatment and devastating disappointment along the way.

His seeing doesn’t just reach the heart. It goes all the way to the soul. And unlike any human gaze, it is always perfect, compassionate, and filled with holy love.

One of God’s names in Scripture is El Roi—the God who sees me. And it appears in one of the most tender and unexpected places in the Bible.

Where El Roi Appears in the Bible

The name El Roi is found in Genesis 16, in the story of Hagar.

Hagar was a servant of Sarai (later Sarah), and when Sarai and Abram took matters into their own hands trying to fulfill God’s promise of a child, they gave Hagar to Abram to bear a child.

When Hagar got pregnant, tensions rose, and Sarai mistreated her so severely that Hagar fled into the wilderness.

Alone. Afraid. Pregnant. Rejected. I’d imagine she felt quite misunderstood and unseen.

And that’s where God met her.

“The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness… And he said, ‘Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?’”
—Genesis 16:7–8 (ESV)

God didn’t just know where she was – He knew her name. He knew her pain. And He spoke directly into her story.

After this encounter, Hagar gives God a name:

“So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’”
—Genesis 16:13 (ESV)

In Hebrew, this is El Roi (אֵל רֳאִי), meaning “God Who Sees” or “God of seeing.” It’s the only time this exact name is used in Scripture, but the theme is everywhere.

What El Roi Tells Us About God’s Character

El Roi is a God who sees people that others overlook. He sees the hurting, the rejected, the ones who feel invisible. Not only does He see – He pursues.

This is the first time in Scripture that an individual gives God a name. And that person is an Egyptian servant woman, not an Israelite patriarch. Amazing, right?

This tells us:

• God sees everyone, not just the chosen or powerful
• God’s attention is not based on status
• God meets people in wilderness places, not just sacred ones

This name also reminds us that seeing is tied to care.

The ESV says, “I have seen him who looks after me.” That phrase “looks after” in the Hebrew also implies watching over or attending to.

El Roi isn’t a distant observer – He’s an engaged and compassionate Father.

How the Theme of God Seeing Runs Through Scripture

Even though El Roi appears only in Genesis 16, the truth of God’s “seeing” is echoed throughout the Bible.

• Psalm 33:13–15: “The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man…”
• Psalm 139:1–3: “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! … You discern my thoughts from afar.”
• Exodus 3:7 (when God speaks to Moses about Israel’s suffering): “I have surely seen the affliction of my people…”
• Matthew 6:6 (Jesus on prayer): “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
• Luke 7:13 (Jesus and the widow of Nain): “When the Lord saw her, he had compassion…”

God’s seeing is always paired with knowing and acting. He sees…and He comes near.

El Roi and the Gospel

At the heart of the gospel is the truth that God saw our sin, our separation, our hopelessness, and came to us.

Jesus entered our story.

He saw the sick, the sinner, the outcast. He looked into eyes that were used to being ignored and called people by name.

On the cross, He bore the shame of all that we try to hide. And in the resurrection, He made it possible for us to walk in full light, fully seen, and fully loved.

When You Don’t Feel Seen

Sometimes we don’t feel seen, even when we know the theology.

• Why hasn’t God answered this prayer?
• Why does no one notice how hard I’m trying?
• Why does this hurt so much when I’m trying to do the right thing?
• Don’t they know my intentions?

This longing to be seen extends to so many areas – chronic illness, depression, anxiety, motherhood, singleness, marriage struggles, caregiving, grief, invisible disabilities, faith doubts, financial stress, and even the quiet ache of simply feeling overlooked or misunderstood in a crowded room.

If that’s you today, first, I just want to say, I’m so sorry. That feeling is so hard. So lonely. Of course, you crave to be seen. It’s how you were made! And I so hope that someone in your life will see you in this thing, even if they haven’t yet.

Second, I just want to remind you that, even when people let you down, you can trust that God is still who He says He is.

He is El Roi. He sees you. Right where you are. He sees you on the mountain tops, down in the valleys, and everywhere in between. He sees your heart, your intentions, your desires, and so much more.

A Prayer to El Roi

El Roi, thank You for seeing me. Thank You for meeting me in the quiet places, the hidden hurts, the things no one else notices. Thank You for watching over me – not with judgment, but with unfailing love. Help me see others the way You see me. Amen.

30 Days Of Praying The Names Of God

In His Name Prayer Journal: 30 Days of Praying the Names of God is a guided prayer journal for Christian women, designed to help you draw closer to God by focusing on who He is through His names found throughout Scripture.

Each of the 30 days includes:
✔ A Hebrew name of God and its meaning
✔ A daily Bible verse to reflect on
✔ A short, heartfelt prayer to guide your time with the Lord
✔ Lined space for your personal reflections

Whether you are seeking peace in a difficult season, want to deepen your prayer life, or are looking for a meaningful way to connect with God in your daily quiet time, this prayer journal offers space for you to draw nearer to the Lord by reflecting on His goodness.