The Apple of God's Eye

"Whoever touches you, touches the apple of My eye."  Zechariah 2:12b 

Madilyn, Emily, Maria Teresa, Mason, Caleb...

Do you remember when we talked about the "apple of God's eye?" "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the violence of the wicked." Psalm 17:8
Figuratively, it means the central aperture of the eye. Poetically it means something, or more usually someone, cherished above others and therefore protected and loved.
Children, do you remember the other aspect of the etymology of this phrase? I'll tell you again: The Hebrew literally says, "little man of the eye." This is a reference to the tiny reflection of yourself that you can see in other people's pupils. This Hebrew idiom is close to the Latin version, pupilla, which means 'a little doll,' and is also the source for our other sense of pupil to mean a school

child.
Remember children, how we wondered, and hoped, God sees His reflection in our eyes when He looks at us, and how we should be able to see our own reflection in His eye? Remember too, how we mused that God put a star in apples to remind us that we are the apple of His eye and that He is "starry-eyed" over us. Look at this picture. Can you see my reflection in Zachary's eyes. Make it larger and look. Pretty cool, eh?

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He Has Me In Mind

In the kitchen were two mugs next to a thermos of freshly brewed coffee. My son-in-law had made French press coffee and had poured it in the thermos for his wife and me. The two cups were chosen especially for us and it was clear which one belonged to whom. One had a bird and was hand-made by my daughter and the one chosen for me had flowers and a Scripture. It rolled around in my head that he had had us in mind when he made the coffee and chose the mugs. It made me feel special, loved, acknowledged, wanted, and important.

If something as small as a coffee cup placed for me was taken as a great gesture of loving-kindness, how much more should we meditate on God’s loving-kindness and His thoughtfulness toward us. My son-in-law prepared coffee with two of us in mind; God prepared the world and gave it to us! We mess up so much of it. He gave us His Son, Himself and His Spirit...no little thing, and we snub Him, tear His creation apart, decide ourselves which pieces of His creation can be destroyed and even who can be killed.

I can only imagine how my son-in-law would have felt if I had said, “Eh, I don’t think I want coffee this morning,” or, “I don’t like that mug, I think I’ll use a different one,” or some judgement about the strength of the coffee. He would have been hurt a little I think. Not visibly, but I doubt he would have “had me in mind” favorably the next time he brewed the morning coffee.

Even though we take what God has given us for granted and many times abuse His creations, still... “ You brighten the darkness about us; You display Your goodness, Lord, for those who trust You; You hide us in the shelter of Your presence and surround us with love.” “How precious is Your love, O God; we take refuge in the shadow of Your wings; in Your light we see light.” “Behind us and before You encircle us and rest Your hand upon us. Such knowledge is beyond me, far too lofty for me to reach.” You had us in mind from the beginning and, “You keep us in mind.” Thank You!
Psalms 18:29, 31:20-21, 32:10, 36: 8,10, 139:5-6, 40:18

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