El Roi

This is a name I'm becoming very familiar with, El Roi. When life is in shambles or it's just bumpy, El Roi is a comforting name. My life isn't even close to "in shambles", but life is bumpy right now. Rough roads make for tough spirits, though. A friend of mine introduced me to a quote, "Easy roads make sleepy travelers". And though the road is rough, it's better to be awake and growing than sleepy and dying. May your road is bumpy too, right now.

Well El Roi is the name that Hagar gives to God in Genesis 16:13. To give you context, Hagar doesn't say this in a moment of theological classification to say "God has eyes".

Hagar doesn't say this in a moment of overstating the obvious that since God knows all, he must see what is happening.

Hagar cries out in this naming of God in distress, saying "You see me in my need. And I know you care." Read Genesis 16 and you can hear her distress.

Whenever I read this I always hear a melody from a song by Bethel Music. Whenever I hear this song I always think "El Roi" especially when I hear the comforting declaration "NOTHING is hidden from Your sight. Wherever I go, You find me!"

Whether financial troubles, broken relationships, failing health, or any other moments where life isn't measuring up to the life that God originally intended in Genesis 1, there is comfort in these words. To know that God has "plans for good" (Gen 50:20, Jer 29:11) in pain and distress.

You have been
And You will be
And You have seen
And You will see

You know when I rise and when I fall
When I come or go, You see it all
You hung the stars and You move the sea,
And still You know me

And nothing is hidden from Your sight
Wherever I go, You find me
And You know every detail of my life
And You are God and You don't miss a thing

The Power of "0"

I happen to love numbers. Numbers don't change. 1 always means 1 of something. Maybe it's 1 basketball versus 1 kernel of corn, but 1 is always 1. Even if it's 1 group of chickens, 1 group is still 1 group.

I think 0 is more important of a number, however. 0 isn't -1. It's not a debt owed. It's just a measurable deficiency. There's tons of opinions as to where the number 0 came from but ultimately, I don't think it matters. What intrigues me is how powerful 0 is.

0 can be a stark reminder of what is not there. You may have $0 in your bank account right now and that makes life stressful and hard. You may have 0 jobs which is very similar. You may have 0 significant other, or 0 spouse (this is one of those areas where 0 or 1 is the only appropriate number to have).

You can only measure 0 when you think about something you don't have and you realize, "How many ____ do I have? None. Zero. Nada. Zilch." It's admitting there is something we don't have. And most likely, we want what we don't have. Realizing 0 in our lives is powerful!

In that moment you have one of two responses. Jesus even seemed to acknowledge this truth.

Luke 9:58: Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

Jesus doesn't seem sad about have 0 place to rest his head. He's content. He knows there are more important things, and most of all it's following His Father's will. This is right in the middle of a section of scripture talking about announcing the Kingdom of God. He sees what He has 0 of in His life, and He declares in the context of His statement that following His Father's

And then you have the second response of two other guys who don't follow Jesus because they say "But my father is dying! I'll have 0 fathers soon!" or "Let me say goodbye to my family! I'll have 0 family members around me soon!" and realizing 0 in their lives pulls them away from following Jesus.

When I look at my life I'm beginning to ask myself which response I have to the powerful 0's I see in my life.

I have 0 spouse. Do I truly believe it's still better to follow Jesus now?
I feel like I have $0. Do I truly believe it's still better to follow Jesus now?
I feel like I have 0 understanding of the future. Do I truly believe it's still better to follow Jesus now?
I feel like I have 0 friends around. Do I truly believe it's still better to follow Jesus now?

What do you have 0 of? Do you truly believe it's still better to follow Jesus now?