intimacy & security

Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings,

from the wicked who do me violence,

my deadly enemies who surround me.

Psalm 17:8-9

When you are really close to someone, looking face to face, you see your reflection in the pupils of their eyes. This is an experience of personal closeness. This is an intimate kind of moment. And it is that sort of closeness that David asks God to show to him in his difficulties. That is the meaning behind the request for God to keep David as the “apple of your eye”.

But not only does David ask for intimacy with the Almighty, he also longs for fierce, protective love. Just as a bird of prey will shelter her young under her wings, so David asks God to fiercely guard him. The Lord protects those he cares for. There is both intimacy and security in the love of God for us.

My prayer right now is to want these same experiences. My soul wants to be loved by God, and to love Him as my heart’s most central desire. To know God and to live with His intimate care over me is the story of my life. It is my reason for being. God must be the One my heart desires first, and his love for me is what I always want to know. And in Jesus Who died and rose again to love all who will believe in Him as an intimate Savior, I find that love. He calls me friend. And that is a dearness I did not deserve or earn. It all came through grace by the love of God.

Jesus is my security no matter what life brings to shake me. I will trust Him even when I seem surrounded by what I am tempted to fear. Almighty wings cover me and I am the apple of His eye! Every Christian who truly trusts Jesus has this intimate security to experience with joy, peace, and freedom!