Keep Me As the Apple of Your Eye

Do you know that the apple of your eye...

is the most sensitive part of your eye?

If anyone or anything were to touch your eye,

you would naturally protect your eye.

But he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.

I did not understand what it meant when God said,

He will keep us as the apple of His eye.

And now I know that I am as the apple of His eye.

I am afraid that I will forget His teachings, that one day I might forsake my first love and forget all the things He has done for me. I know as days go on and time passes by, my heart may stray far from God and then His ways may seem puzzling, His guidance is less important, His voice will be muted, and His word-even if I read it-will seem strange. I think that God is always there for me, but I take Him for granted. My sins will distance me away from God that I may not find Him.

And when I remember, the nation of Israel journeyed through the wilderness, many times they had forsaken God, and many times God forgave them. He had found them in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled them and instructed them, He kept them as the apple of His eye (Deuternomy 32:10). Yes, He loves His people, cherished above all others, precious in His sight-and He loves even you and me. And when I read the love letter (Deutronomy 33) that God wrote to His people, it really is beautiful... He tells us to "live, and not die", He will be "a help" against our enemies, "the beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him", He will bless us with the "best things", the "precious things", and still He blesses with abundance and hidden treasures. But then I forgot that I should be happy... who is like me? Someone saved by the Lord, who is my shield of help and my strength, that even His enemies shall submit to me...

So I try to remember some words of this hymn in moments like this...

I want a principle within of watchful godly fear,

A sensibility of sin, a pain to feel it near,

Help me the first approach to feel pride or wrong desire;

To catch the wandering of my will, And quench the kindling fire.

From Thee that I no more may stray, No more Thy goodness grieve,

Grant me the filial awe, I pray, The tender conscience give;

Quick as the apple of an eye, O God, my conscience make!

Awake my soul when sin is nigh, And keep it still awake...