by Emily Wooten
Genesis 16:13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
Nobody saw God. Even Moses the prophet was protected when God spoke with him. Here a women who was born a Gentile says she looked after him. We could learn something for Hagar. She looked for help, called out to God and received from him.
David wrote in Psalms 18:1-6 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
Here we see the mighty warrior, who would be king, was terrified. In his distress he called on the one true, self existing God, who was and is and is to come. He was not bashful. He did not stutter. He cried to God with assurance that he would be seen and heard.
David knew the character of God. He had trusted him over and over again and understood how to let God reign in his members. He understood the act of humbling himself before God, submitting to his will, which was to make him a king and a legend. David called to God presenting his case and God responded appropriately.
This is a great example of the correct, effective way to ask God for anything. Scripture tells us in James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
If you can have an effectual and fervent prayer, it stands to reason that a person might have an ineffective or ineffectual prayer. Why would anyone knowingly invest time and effort in a prayer that would not produce good results? People do it all the time. Going into prayer without scriptural promise to back up what one is asking for is fruitless. Doubting God will only produce rotten fruit.
If we want to be seen by God–If we want him to hear our plea, we will need to follow his directive. We ask God in confidence coming boldly to the throne of grace knowing we will find mercy and grace to help in a time of need. Just like David and Hagar we can be seen by God and as a results learn to really see him as our redeemer.