The LORD JESUS looks upon His people

"Thou God seest me." -Genesis 16:13 [KJV]

“Why sayest thou, O trembling sinner! My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?” The Lord here asks thy reason, and reproaches thy speech (Isaiah 40:27.) Look at Hagar, and be ashamed of the unbelieving surmises of thy heart. She was a dear child of God: yet she is left to suffer sore distresses. Her mistress treats her cruelly. She flees to a solitary wilderness: here was no eye of pity, no hand to relieve, no friend to comfort her: and, what must add to her sorrow and heighten her distress, she was with child. 

She fled from her station in providence. But the God of providence follows her,—the angel of the Lord—rather, the Lord, the Angel, the Messenger of the covenant—the Lord Jesus the Saviour. He found her, called her by name, inquires the cause of her distress, and bids her return to her mistress. Hagar knew her Saviour. She sets up a memorial of His sympathizing love for her, and care over her. She called the name of the Lord, Who spake unto her, “Thou God seest me.” O, how much is implied in this! 

In every distress, remember this for thy comfort; and, in every perplexity, think of this for thy support, “Thou God! seest me.” Let this be the daily watch-word for thy soul. For it implies, 

(1st.) What the church says, “I was in His eyes, as one who found favour, or peace” (Songs of Solomon 8:10.) Therefore, the eyes of the Lord are upon me, and His ears are open unto my prayers (see 1 Peter 3:12.) His loving eyes looked upon me, pitied me when I was polluted in my blood, and called me to enjoy His favour and His peace. 

But, (2d.) Have I got into a wilderness of perplexity? Do I find one who can comfort me? Do I think I have deserted the Lord, and therefore He has deserted my soul? Still remember, “Thou God! seest me.” He sees the sorrows, marks the sighs, and hears the complaints of thy labouring breast, with an eye of sympathy, and a heart of love. Our dear high-Priest is most tenderly touched with a feeling of our distress (see Hebrews 4:15.) Therefore, he searches after and follows us, with this tender and compassionate call, “Return again to Me” (Jeremiah 3:1.) Come unto Me, ye weary and heavy laden, I will give rest and refreshment to your souls (Matthew 11:28.) 

(3d.) Is there sorrow in our hearts, for the folly of our ways? and this cry in our souls, “O! that it were with me, as in months that are past?” This is because the Lord sees us in mercy, comes after us in love, and hath not given us up in His wrath. And what says He? “I have seen his ways, and will”—what? damn him? O! no. O, the riches of grace!—“I will heal him” (Isaiah 57:18.) Lastly, If Thou God! seest me, O! may I always live, as seeing Thee by the eye of faith; live in Thy service, walk in Thy fear, unto Thy glory.

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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