Weekend Worship—The Apple of My Daddy’s Eye

Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Thy wings, Ps 17:8 (NASB)

I grew up hearing my parents and grandparents use the expression apple of my eye. I was often told I was the apple of my daddy’s eye. There was even a polished, wooden apple, with a small picture of me in it, sitting on my daddy’s desk. It was a constant reminder that I was precious and important to my daddy.

One day, I began to wonder what that phrase actually meant and very shortly was surprised to discover the saying originated in the Bible, specifically, the Old Testament. So I went back to Hebrew, the original language of the Old Testament and discovered that the apple of someone’s eye is the pupil. It’s even more than that—it’s the reflection of yourself in the pupil of someone’s eye. Imagine standing close enough to someone to see yourself reflected in their eye. This is a perfect picture of the close relationship God wants to have with us. He holds us so close and so precious that we can see ourselves reflected in His eye.

So what does that have to do with my writing life? It has to do with God’s character—Who He is. He is a creative God. The very first thing we see Him doing, in the first chapter of Genesis, is creating. We all have that aspect of God somewhere within. For me, it’s reflected in my writing. And I’m never more in tune with God than when I’m writing. Rather than looking tolerantly at me when I’m writing, I know God is rejoicing that I’m using the gift He’s given me to create.

So I encourage you, draw close, gaze into your Creator’s eye—revel in the fact that He loves you with a love that defies description—and then feel His joy as you become a living example of Who He is.