By Pastor Scott
(1) My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you.
(2) Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye.
Proverbs 7:1-2 NKJV
Here is an exhortation to avoid simply being surface readers of the Word of God and to come to a place where we internalize God’s Word and give it a place of being at the forefronts of our lives.
The instruction to keep the Word as the ‘apple of your eye’ gives a very real picture of how we should treat this exhortation.
The apple of the eye is a reference to the pupil and can be thought of as something that is of central focus. Did you know God’s people were and are the centre of His focus?
Deuteronomy 32:9-10 NKJV
(9) For the LORD's portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance.
(10) "He found him in a desert land And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.
David prayed to God:
Psalms 17:8-9 NKJV
(8) Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
(9) From the wicked who oppress me, From my deadly enemies who surround me.
This may seem like a tangent from today’s Proverb. But isn’t it wonderful to know God cares for us this way! The pupil is the most sensitive part of the exposed human body. Look at what Zechariah the prophet says:
Zechariah 2:8 NKJV
(8) For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.
I find so much comfort in knowing God cares for us so much that nothing passes his sight.
But back to the thought of the Proverb here. God is telling us we need to view life through the eyes of scripture.
I want to share with you the same passage I shared the other day from Ephesians:
Ephesians 5:15-17 NKJV
(15) See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
(16) redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
(17) Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
To walk circumspectly, makes me think of knowing what is in our peripherals (Circumference), and seeing things with clear vision. This is especially important for the days we live in as the verses suggest.
I personally believe that if we don’t wake up in the morning and prepare ourselves in the Word it can be like not putting your glasses on. You won’t see things or be aware of things like you should be because your sight is blurred.
Let me encourage you today to make a habit of reading Gods Word, internalizing it, valuing it and viewing life’s situations through the lens of scripture.