The Bible recounts that Hagar named the well after God revealed water to her in the wilderness when her hope of saving her son’s life had completely faded. Paul describes God as the giver of hope in our most desperate moments. Elsewhere, Paul explains how Abraham viewed God as the one who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that do not yet exist. This raises a question: was the well already present, hidden from Hagar’s view because of her overwhelming despair, or did God create it at that moment? Similarly, were the 153 fish caught in Peter’s net already in the water where he had toiled all night, or did God create them in the morning, drawing them to the right side of the boat? In the same way, are the blessings and solutions we receive always present, waiting for us to see them, or are they freshly created by God specifically to meet our needs?
Things That Do Not Exist, Called To Existence
When darkness prevailed, God called forth light, and light came into existence. The Psalmist recognized God as the sovereign ruler of all things, declaring, “For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm” (Psalms 33:9). Scripture reveals that God performs new and unimaginable deeds. For the Israelites, He provided manna, a food never seen on earth, and caused water to flow from a rock.
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him. – 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)
God meets humanity’s growing needs according to His plans, often in ways beyond our prior understanding. While we may sometimes hope for God to create something exclusively for us, it may not happen, as the Creator of the universe has designed nature to function in cycles that He typically does not interrupt. Yet, there are moments when God has altered the natural order—shaking the earth, reversing time, stirring up calm winds, or calming storms—to reveal His love and offer protection.
This does not mean that such divine interventions happen regularly. For example, if God enables a woman to conceive, He will not interfere with the natural process of her carrying the child for nine months. While God has the power to create life instantly, He allows the natural order He established to follow and chooses not to disrupt it.
God Preserves
Our Father in Heaven, though sovereign and fully capable of creating new things, sometimes allows us to rely on what we already have. When the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness for forty years, the scripture recounts that their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell (Deuteronomy 8:3). God meets our needs according to His purpose and in line with what is truly necessary. As He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He continues to preserve and bless His people, providing for their needs.
For instance, a missionary family serving in a remote, cold region with their infant experienced a dire situation when they ran out of cooking gas. In that area, replacing the empty cylinder would take an entire month. They desperately needed gas, at the very least, to warm milk for their baby. God intervened, miraculously enabling the empty cylinder to supply the fuel they needed until a new one arrived.
In light of this miracle, a supporter of the missionary family prayed for God to extend the life of his inverter battery. However, God did not grant this request, as the man could easily afford to buy a new battery from a nearby shop. His prayer, motivated by a desire to save money rather than a genuine need, reflected a misunderstanding of God’s miracles and their context.
Often, we fail to recognize the circumstances behind the blessings described in scripture and plead for similar miracles in our lives. Instead, we should focus on aligning ourselves with God’s purpose, striving to help meet the genuine needs of others, rather than seeking extraordinary blessings for ourselves without true necessity.
While we strive to preserve our earthly assets, we often neglect the greatest treasure God has given us—our salvation. To help us safeguard this gift, God has provided the Holy Spirit, who sustains our salvation until we exchange it for eternal life. Yet, despite this divine provision, we sometimes take our salvation for granted, wasting it and being willing to trade it for temporary worldly blessings.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. – Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)
Our Blessings Hinder God’s Greater Plan
When God provides for our needs, we often become more focused on the provision rather than the Provider. Hagar fixated on the small amount of water she had, and when it was gone, she lost hope, believing her son would surely die. But who told her that? It was the deception of the devil, who constantly tempts us to place our trust in material things—our homes, bank accounts, friends, power and authority. These distractions blind us from seeing the God who gave them to us, causing us to become consumed by our possessions. As a result, when we lose them, we despair and torment ourselves with the falsehoods the devil plants in our minds. We assume negative outcomes for our lives, even when they are not true, choosing to rely on lies rather than seeking the truth.
You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death,
with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,
it cannot touch us,
for we have made a lie our refuge
and falsehood our hiding place. – Isaiah 28:15 (NIV)
At this moment, God opened Hagar’s eyes, which had been blinded by the god of this age, allowing her to see the water that had been nearby all along. Similarly, when Jesus died on the cross, Peter was troubled and unable to use his own skills to fish—until God intervened and directed him to cast his net on the right side of the boat. How often do we find ourselves in such situations? Do we hear God’s voice in our darkest moments, allowing Him to turn our struggles into blessings? Or do we remain in darkness, relying solely on what we possess?
We all know that God sees us at all times, a truth echoed throughout the Psalms. His eyes never turn away from His people—but do we see Him? David cried out, recognizing that his sins were preventing him from seeing God. Through the prophet Isaiah, God warns us that our sins hide His face from us. Hagar trusted in the provision Abraham gave her, even though he could no longer keep her with him. Likewise, we often hold onto the empty promises of people who leave us behind for their own selfish agendas, forgetting the unfailing promises of God, who always remains faithful.
Experiencing the God Who Sees Us
Hagar was blessed to see the God who had always been watching over and protecting her. Likewise, unless we see God through the faith He is cultivating within us, truly knowing Him remains difficult. We may believe that God sees us, but can we see Him? The mistake we often make is that when we struggle to see Him, we drift from His instructions and lose our way.
Job, in the midst of his suffering, could not perceive God, yet he remained steadfast in following His commands. He reasoned that even if he could not see God, God could still see him as he walked in obedience (Job 23:8-10). When we find ourselves unable to see Him, our focus should be on abiding in His Word, for it is through obedience that our spiritual eyes are opened. Job eventually declared, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25), recognizing God as his ultimate deliverer. Can we truly see our Redeemer who has rescued us from eternal death? Many profess this truth out of ritual rather than genuine belief.
Hagar proclaimed, “I have seen the One who sees me,” and named the well “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.” In the same way, when we behold the Living Water with the eyes of faith, we are transformed into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Knowing that God sees us is powerful, but it is when we see Him that our dependence on temporary provisions shifts to unwavering trust in Him as our ultimate Provider.
When we fully grasp the depth of His gaze upon us, it no longer matters whether He brings something new, sustains what is already there, or reveals what has been hidden. Our trust rests in the abundance of His grace, knowing He will provide for every need according to His perfect plan.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
The Jordan Valley 
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