Thoughts about God's Name and the Incarnation

"As you may be aware, I've written a study series called "The Names & Attributes of God". While researching the many "El" compound names for our Most High God, one "El" name, in particular, has touched me deeply. That is the name "El Rah'ee" (also "El Roi" or "El Rot"), which means "The God Who Sees Me". It's the name Hagar used when she ran away from Sarai and encountered God (Genesis 16:13). Hagar didn't call Him "The God Who Saves Me", or "The God Who Created Me", or "The God Who Provides for Me"; she called Him "El Rah'ee", "The God Who Sees Me". She wasn't talking about a God watching for her to make a mistake; she was talking about a God of great compassion who saw everything she was enduring.... who saw beyond the outward appearance into the deepest recesses of her heart.... who cared deeply for her.... and who would take care of her.

Those of us who belong to the Lord readily acclaim His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. We bow the knee to Him as Savior, Provider, Healer, Deliverer, Mighty Warrior, Sovereign Ruler, Master, Strong Refuge, Everlasting Father, Extremely Exalted Most High God, the Eternal "I AM"....

But, there's something very personal and humbling in the name "The God Who Sees Me". That name says that the all-powerful, eternal, Mighty God sees me — the "real" me. It doesn't say He saw me or He will see me. It says He sees — present tense — all the time. He always sees me and cares deeply about whatever I'm going through!

Even more surprising and awesome, though, is that this same God — out of His extravagant love for me and desire to fellowship with me — chose to become a human for the sole purpose of rescuing my sin-sick soul!

The timeless God split time 2000 years ago....

The Elohim who created the first man, created Himself in a young virgin's womb....

The God whose glory was so intense that the priests could not stand in His presence, became a baby to be held and kissed....

The very God whose name was so sacred that even His chosen people dared not speak it, became "Immanu'el" — "God with Us".

As the Supremely Sovereign God....

He could have come to an earthly throne where kings and rulers would politicize Him....

He could have come to a palace where the elite would esteem Him....

He could have come to a Temple where religious priests and overseers would laud Him.

He could have knocked us all to the ground by revealing Himself as He truly is — the Eternal Self-Existent Lord, Creator, King, and Master of all that exists.

But.... He chose to become a helpless little baby in a feeding trough in a barn. In a barn! Not in a palace or temple or church sanctuary, but in a place and a manner whereby the most ugly, sinful, undeserving humans — such as I — could come to Him — unhindered by politics, social status, or religion. And like the Magi who followed a star and the shepherds to whom the angels announced the birth of Christ, all I can do is worship....