Apple Eyes

God often surprises me. Tonight was no exception. Here I am reading in the Psalms, all kinds of great stuff about God hearing, and listening, and trusting in God's justice and protection and then I read this...

"...Keep me as the apple of your eye..."

I stopped and literally out loud said "what?!" I couldn't believe a phrase of such endearment would be right there in scripture and that David (the one who wrote it) would have the boldness to ask God for that kind of affection. It's amazing.

So of course I prayed it for myself. "God, I want to be the apple of your eye too!" (I figure if David is allowed to ask, I might as well take advantage of the offer). Here's the amazing part...I think God delights to answer prayers like this.

The thing about me, is I'd pretty much rather slink around in the shadows, content to grab a table scrap or two off God's banquet when others are finished, but this is absolutely not the life of faith He has called me to. He calls me daughter, apple of his eye. Do you know what that phrase means? It is literally translated something like "Little man of the eye", and conveys the idea of the reflection of yourself that you can see in other people's pupils.

It dawns on me slowly, like molasses, that this is the same thing my little ones see when they are close enough for me to give them hugs, or tickles, or love. I can be that way with God. But the most amazing part, is that it is something we ask God for. In my own pride I'd be tempted to think I could somehow muster up enough "good" or enough perseverance in my own strength to stay right there as the apple of God's eye, but at the end of the day it's just not true. I'll slink back to the shadows any chance I get. But God (which happen to be my two favorite words in history), CAN keep us as the apple of his eye if we only ask.

So, I'm asking. "God keep me as the apple of your eye, your daughter, the one you are looking at, face turned toward, attention on. Cause I just need you! And as long as I know you've got your eye on me, I can go anywhere, and give up anything. Brave the iciest storms, the deepest valleys, apple of your eye. I could never deserve it, but that's the best part about you...you just give it anyways. Not because of who I am, but because of who you are, unfathomably loving, unendingly generous, apple-eyed God of the universe."