I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
Psalm 17:6-8
Keep Me – Psalm 17:6-8
If you haven’t read last week’s devotional, The Apple of His Eye, from Deuteronomy 32:7-10, you might want to go back and read it. There are also free printables for Bible art journaling in Deuteronomy 32.
One of my favorite authors is the world-reknowned mystery writer Agatha Christie. Invariably in her novels, it is eventually revealed that the murder victim was surrounded by enemies. Practically every character had reasons (real or imagined) to want the victim dead.
God of Hope
When we feel like everyone is against us, life can seem hopeless. However, our God is a God of hope. He is a God who answers prayers.
When it seems like no one sees our point of view, life can feel meaningless. Nevertheless, our God is a God who gives us purpose and direction. His love for us means that He will not leave us drifting.
Call on God
In Psalm 17, the Psalmist feels surrounded and set upon by enemies. He calls out to God.
I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Psalm 17:6
What will God do?
What will God do for those whom He loves? For the apple of His eye?
He will show us the wonders of His love. Save us by His right hand. Provide refuge from those against us.
Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes. Psalm 17:7
Right or Wrong
Sometimes we are right in our thoughts and actions and sometimes we are wrong. Sometimes we deserve the enmity of others and sometimes we are innocent and unfairly opposed. Sometimes we bring the bad stuff on ourselves and sometimes could have had no control over anything.
Either way, no matter if the fault is ours or not, God’s love stays constant. We may reap the consequences of our actions or the logical conclusion of wrong thought patterns, but God’s love remains rock steady.
Reflected as the Apple of His Eye
He gazes on us with love. We are reflected as the apple of His eye.
I don’t know about you, but I want to stay in that place as apple of God’s eye. So did the Psalmist…
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
Psalm 17:8
Hidden in the love of God, He surrounds and supports us in our weakness and pain. All we have to do is reach out to Him and ask. To plead with Him to “keep us.”
Action Step:
Let’s take a moment to feel the love of God. His overwhelming, surrounding love that can hide us when we need refuge.
This next bit is hard. Please try not to bristle at the suggestion – I don’t know your situation and this may not apply to you. If it feels like everyone disagrees with you or is against you, spend some time asking God to reveal to you if you are bringing any of it on yourself. Is there an area where you are encouraging destructive thought patterns, holding onto opinions that are skewed, or out of alignment with God’s word? If so, ask for God’s strength to face it and change. If not, relax into the refuge of the Father’s arms. Either way, remind yourself that though many blessings in the Bible are conditional, God’s love is boundless and does not depend on our actions. He loves you. Period. You are the apple of His eye.
Prayer:
Dear God, remind me to lean into your strength and love. Help me remember to call on You for help. Open my eyes to the incredible extent of Your love. Enable me to see clearly if I am causing some of my problems or stirring up division. Give me courage and strength to face what I need to change. In Jesus’ name, amen.
If you would like a free printable for the Bible Art Journaling above, there is one in the Free Resource Library: https://www.devotioninaction.com/resourcelibrary/
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