“The Apple Of Your Eye…” - Monday 4th June

I recently discovered that you can download a programme from the internet which will search for, and remove, clichés from emails, documents and presentations. It has a store of 7000 to look for…
In the blurb enticing you to download the programme, it noted that a cliché is a phrase that “loses its freshness through over use.”
That got me thinking. So many familiar phrases originated from the Bible - has their regular use, combined with the fact they are removed from the context of the passage they were written in, dulled the freshness of God’s living word to us?
This week I’m going to look at five everyday phrases and go back to their Biblical roots, to refresh our understanding and to allow those verses to speak to us in a renewed way.
Today we start with “The apple of my eye.”
Psalm 17:8 “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,”
Now I’ve always understood that this referred to something precious, but the phrase “apple” is an idiom from old English for the pupil (It was thought to be apple shaped). It’s an interpretation of the literal Hebrew phrase “the little man in the eye.” This is the small reflection of ourselves we can see in someone’s pupil if they are focused on us. Both understandings convey the sense that the “apple” is crucial to the gift of sight, and therefore to be honoured and cherished above all things.
David is expressing the sense that he knows God holds him as precious, honoured and that God is prepared to focus his care and attention upon him. So when he says “keep me” (it can also be read “guard me”) David is saying this amazing closeness with God is where I want to stay (and who wouldn’t?)
Do you know you are the apple of God’s eye? Do you know he wants to lavish upon you his care and attention?
Come to him today in a way that means you can see your own reflection in his eye, enjoy your loving Father’s attention and receive his love and affirmation. Spend time enjoying his acceptance and then share with Dad what’s on your heart.