SEARCHLIGHT
Just how important are you to God?
SCRIPTURE
“In a desert land, He found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye.” Deuteronomy 32:10
SPOTLIGHT
“You are the apple of my eye” is a sentence that has been used many times in songs and poetry to express how valuable someone considers another person to be. Stevie Wonder sang “You are the sunshine of my life, that’s why I’ll always be around. You are the apple of my eye; forever you’ll stay in my heart.” What you probably do not know is that the Bible teaches “YOU ARE THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE.”
The apple of the eye is considered to be the pupil because it is round like an apple and at the center where light passes through to the lens of the eye. To describe someone as being the apple of one’s eyes is to identify how special that person is. He or she is cherished. Throughout Scripture there are references to God’s people being the apple of His eye. It is a powerful description of Father God’s loving care for His children.
The Scripture text above, Deuteronomy 32:10, describes how God cared for the children of Israel by bringing them out of Egypt and then watching over them during their disobedient wilderness wanderings. His undivided attention was so significant that it was compared to the way the Almighty would protect the pupils of His own eyes. In this verse, God is pictured as a father figure who guards His family in every aspect of their lives just as your eyelids instinctively protect your eyes. What a descriptive picture of how much God favors you.
There is another vivid picture in the Old Testament where God’s children are seen to be very precious and important. Zechariah 2:7-9 state “‘Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!’ For this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you-for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye-I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.’” Here God was warning that anyone who harmed God’s people was “sticking their finger in God’s eye.” [Living Bible] God is saying “If someone hurts my children, they hurt Me, and it will not go overlooked.”
You will never be able to comprehend how vast God’s loving care is for you. John 3:16 says that God loves you so much that He sacrificed His Son to die for your sins. How true yet so difficult to fathom. In addition, you have become the apple of God’s eye, just like the children of Israel, because He has adopted you. [Ephesians 1:5; 3:6; Galatians 4:4-7] You are God’s child and a member of his family. In other words, YOU ARE THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE.
Can you remember a time when you put your hand up to protect your eyes? Perhaps the sun was too bright or maybe there was some flying object presenting some danger. God cherishes you the way you would value your eyesight. Eyelids offer automatic protection by closing the minute there is danger. God guards you the way you would guard your own eyes. He cares for you beyond anything you could imagine. God provides the same favor over you as you would over your eyes.
You may never comprehend how much God really cares for you, but you can respond to God for being the apple of His eye. Your first response should be to pray as David did “Keep me as the apple of your eye…” [Psalm 17:8a] Pray this prayer of commitment. Dedicate your life to always being in God’s will and following God’s ways. Decide never to wander from your loving, caring, shielding, guarding Heavenly Father. Your second response should be to obey God’s principles and plans for your life. Proverbs 7:2 states “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.” Highly value God’s written Word, the Holy Bible. Read it every day. Feed on it the way you would desire food. Heed it by following its instruction. Need it by acknowledging it as your highest written authority. Seed it by sharing God’s truths with people.
Lift your head up. Sit up straight. Stand up tall. Walk with confidence. YOU ARE THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE. You are His highest form of creation. Let me repeat myself. God cherishes you because you have a soul while other living beings do not. God desires you to be a part of His family. That desire is not extended to a horse, whale, or bird. Only you are thought of by God as being as important as the apple of His eye. So deeply does God love you that He will go to the extent of giving His Son to die for you. How cherished you are by your Creator.
SOMETHING TO DO
Take a quiet moment to reflect on this powerful image of how much God really cares for you. Recall a time when you put your hand up to protect your eyes. Perhaps the sun was too bright or maybe some flying object was presenting danger. You acted instinctively and without any reservation to guard your eyes. This is the picture God wants you to have of Him. He protects you and wants you to feel cherished by Him. Just think about this for a few minutes.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for showing me just how important I am to You. I am not worthy of such love and care but I do believe and forever want to receive it. You have shown me who I am and what I can become. Forever, I want to be the apple of Your eye. I would ask that You never take Your eyes off of me. If I am tempted to take my eyes off of You, guard me from doing so. AMEN!