A Mother’s Day Devotional: “You Are the God Who Sees Me.”

Happy Mother’s Day!

To every woman who loves fiercely, sacrifices quietly, and carries the emotional weight of her family — today we celebrate you. Whether your children are small, grown, or still in your heart, your unseen labor matters more than you know.

But I also know this day can be painful for many. For those longing for a child, grieving an empty nest, navigating difficult relationships with grown kids, or feeling unseen in your own home — God sees you too.

Have you ever felt invisible?

Last March in Rome, my husband Dan and I walked everywhere. I felt completely unseen. People cut me off in crowds and stepped in front of me at the Colosseum when it was my turn to get pictures. By the end of the day, I kept saying to my husband, “What is the deal? No one sees me!”

Many mothers know this feeling all too well. You are usually the one to do the laundry, cook the meals, manage the schedules, and carry the emotional burdens of your family. You pray late into the night, yet sometimes it feels like no one notices until something isn’t done. You give and give — and still feel overlooked.

If that’s you today, you are not alone.

Let’s meet a woman in the Bible who felt more invisible than most of us ever will.

In Genesis 16, we find Hagar, an Egyptian servant in the home of Abram and Sarai. Sarai, unable to have children, gives Hagar to Abram as a second wife in an attempt to “help” God fulfill His promise. Once Hagar becomes pregnant, she mistreats Sarai, and tension explodes: Sarai mistreats Hagar harshly, and she eventually runs away into the desert, pregnant, alone, and hopeless.

But God did not leave her there.

Read Genesis 16:7-13 (NLT)

The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness…

The angel said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

…“Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority… I will give you more descendants than you can count.”

…“You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress.”

Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.”

Hagar — a mistreated, runaway maidservant and second wife of Abram — became the first person in Scripture to meet the angel of the Lord, the first woman to receive a personal promise from God, and the only person in the Old Testament to give God a name: “the God who sees me.”*

What an incredible testimony of grace!

God Still Sees You

The same God who saw Hagar in the desert sees you right now.

God sees the unseen work you do every day.

God sees your tears when no one else does.

God sees your quiet prayers, your exhaustion, your love, and your pain.

God knows your name. He knows your story. And He has not forgotten you.

Whether you feel celebrated today or completely overlooked, hear this truth:

People may forget you. People may overlook you. But you are never forgotten and never overlooked by God.

He is still the God who sees you.

A Word for Every Woman

God has given you tremendous influence in your home. Proverbs 31:12 says of a godly wife, “...brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” Ephesians 5:33 calls wives to respect their husbands. Your words, your attitude, and your support carry great power. Use that influence to build up, encourage, and honor — not to tear down.

And to every woman reading this — whether you are a mother, a spiritual mother, a daughter, or still waiting — you are seen, known, and deeply loved by your Heavenly Father.

Reflection Questions

1. In what area of your life do you most often feel unseen or unappreciated?

   
   

2. How does knowing God sees you change how you feel about that situation?

   
   

3. Who in your life needs to be reminded today that God sees them?

   
   

Prayer

The God who sees me,

Thank You that I am never invisible to You. Not just on Mother's Day but every day. You see every sacrifice, every tear, every quiet act of love. Heal the places where I feel overlooked or forgotten. Help me to rest in Your gaze. Give me strength to love my family well and to use my influence for Your glory.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Memory Verse

“You are the God who sees me.” — Genesis 16:13

You are seen. You are loved. You are valued by the One who matters most.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Share this with a friend who needs to know that God sees them!

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*Varughese, Alex, and Christina Bohn. NBBC, Genesis 12-50: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2019.