EL ROI: “THE GOD WHO SEES ME”
One of the gold mines of reading through the Bible is the discovery of the numerous names of God. One of my favorite names of God is “EL ROI” (pronounced: EL raw EE, “the God who sees me”).
God sees everything; He always has! His eyes were on Abraham and Sarai’s maid, Hagar (Genesis 16:13), and His eyes are on you and me. I love the following story and the song that it inspired!
Over a century ago, Mr. and Mrs. Martin traveled to Elmira, New York to visit some good friends who had experienced their share of life’s difficulties. Mr. Doolittle was an incurable cripple and his wife had been bedridden for almost twenty years.
During their visit, Mr. Martin commented on the Doolittle’s inspiring attitude of bright hopefulness and asked for their secret. Mrs. Doolittle replied, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.” This simple statement of faith by Mrs. Doolittle inspired Mrs. Civilla Martin to write the following poem, put to music by Charles Gabriel:
- Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home, when Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
- “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, and resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
- Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, when songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, for His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
No comments:
Post a Comment