1-19-2019

Good Morning All,

       Psalms 17:8; “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings”

    Yesterday was an important mail day.  My wife makes a picture book of the year’s events and then has the company print it.  There are hundreds of pictures in the book.  Each year I get fewer and fewer pictures and five little ones get more and more press.  Not a complaint just an observation of how little bodies that call you Gramma or Grampa or Beepaw can really take over.  You watch again with wonder as little eyes and little hands learn new events, skills and accomplishments.

    It is truly amazing when you look into the face and into the eyes of someone who is looking at someone they love.  Their eyes widen, their face actually lightens up.  You see a smile form and the excitement grows and glows.  You can visually observe the changes in their attitude as their whole countenance is lifted.

    The Psalmist is asking for this same response from God.  The Psalmist is asking God to keep him as the apple of his eye.  The Psalmist is asking God to look upon him with favor and grace.  The Psalmist is asking God to look upon him with love, to look past and failings and to protect him from the evils of this world.  This is just what God does.

    You are the apple of God’s eye.  We know this by looking at what the Scriptures tells us.  From the very beginning, we see God is looking out for you.  He was in the Garden when Adam and Eve sinned.  He went looking for them as they hid from God; afraid for their sins.  Yet God called them and gave them the promise of a Savior, a promise that they could cling to.  He redeemed and rescued the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt, just as he rescues us from the slavery of sin.  He rescues us through the redemption attained on the cross by Jesus.  If nothing else tells you that you are the apple of God’s eye; that will.  The life, death and resurrection of Jesus occurred because God wanted to reconcile you back to him, back in the shadows of his wings.  God knew we couldn’t accomplish this so He fixed it.  He placed all the sins of the world on Jesus’ back so you and I could be the apple of his eye. 

    The love of God is made known to us through the mercy we find in Jesus.  So whenever the devil or the world attacks you or tells you that you are not up to the standards of God; remember that you are the apple of God’s eye and nothing will ever change that.  Remember that love depends upon God and his grace not your behavior or goodness.  God loves us and desires to restore us to his heavenly family simply because he loves us and sees us as the apple of His eye.

    Dearest Father, your love for us is beyond our comprehension.  Your grace sustains us through all that we face.  Keep us as the apple of your eye.  Give your Spirit of hope to those who are in need of it most.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret