God Who Sees Me

Date: Monday, January 12, 2026

Genesis 21 is super messy, and thus deeply human. It’s the arrival of Isaac (the long-awaited miracle child) on the heels of the heartbreaking exile of Hagar and Ishmael. It’s a chapter of laughter and tears, fulfillment and family dysfunction. It shows us that even when God’s promises come true, our human attempts to help God (like the Hagar situation from chapters prior) leave lasting scars. It’s an stark reminder that our impatience and fear have real-world consequences, yet God’s grace is wide enough to care for the victims of collateral damage in the desert. God hears the boy (Ishmael) crying in the brush just as much as He hears the laughter in Sarah’s tent. He is a God who refuses to let our mess deter His way.

Psalm 12 provides the perfect, gritty soundtrack for this mess. It’s a lament against the “flattering lips” and the “lies” of a world that exploits the weak. While human words are often used to justify our own cruelty, the “words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible.” In the grand narrative, Isaac is the child of promise, but Hagar’s God is the “God who sees.” The theological point is sharp: God’s word stands pure even when we mess things up with our own drama. God is faithful to His plan for the world, even when we act out of fear rather than faith. He protects the poor from those who “puff at them,” ensuring that His promise isn’t just for the insiders, but for the whole world.

Devotional Prompts:

Where have you tried to speed up God’s timing, and what was the fallout of that decision?
How does the story of Hagar in the desert challenge your view of who God cares about?
In a world of “fake news” and “flattering lips,” how can you anchor your identity in the “flawless” words of Scripture?
How can you be a voice for those who are being “puffed at” or marginalized in your community?

Prayer: God of the outcast and the promised child, forgive our frantic efforts to control our own destinies. Thank You that Your word is pure and Your promises are certain, even when we are inconsistent and messy. Be with those who feel cast aside today and show them Your face as the God who sees them. Amen.