Apple of the Eye

Deuteronomy 32:10 - "He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye."

Back in medieval England, people had some interesting ideas about how the human body worked. They thought the pupil of the eye was actually a solid, apple-shaped object sitting right there in the center of your eye. They called it the "apple" because, well, it looked like a tiny apple to them. Now, they may have been wrong about the science, but they got something exactly right about its importance.

You see, that little "apple" in your eye is the most delicate, most crucial part of your vision. Without it, you can't see a thing. It has to be protected at all costs. So when medieval folks wanted to describe something or someone that was absolutely precious to them, something they would guard with their very life, they called it "the apple of their eye." Even King Alfred the Great used this phrase when he was talking about the things he treasured most.

Now here's what gets me about this old expression. When Moses was writing about God's love for His people in Deuteronomy, he reached for this same picture. He said God kept Israel "as the apple of his eye." Think about that for a moment. Of all the ways God could describe how He feels about us, He chose this image of the most delicate, most protected, most essential part of our vision.

Friend, that's how God sees you. You're not just another face in the crowd to Him. You're not just a name on a list somewhere in heaven. You are the apple of His eye, the most precious thing in His sight. He watches over you with the same careful attention you'd give to protecting your own eyesight.

When life gets hard and you start wondering if anybody really cares, when you feel forgotten or overlooked, remember this old medieval phrase. Remember that the God of the universe keeps you as the apple of His eye. He's not looking past you to find someone more important, He's not distracted by others who seem more worthy. His loving gaze is fixed on you with tender, protective care.

That ought to change how you walk through your day, knowing you're that treasured, that watched over, that loved.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for loving me as the apple of Your eye. Help me remember that I'm precious to You, especially when I feel forgotten by others. Amen.