To be kept as the apple of the eye of Almighty God and to be hidden under the shadow of His wings are indicators from the heart of David that he had an intimacy in His relationship that is seldom grasped. Of course, this happened in the Old Covenant and that lets us know that the intimacy we are called to can be much deeper, wider, fuller, and intense than any in that age could understand. However, David gives us heart-words for a beginning.
So many of us are stunted in our relationship with our Lord Jesus. We want all He can do for us, but seldom do we spend time with Him to begin to know Him deeply. Even those of us who spend time daily in His word and in Biblical mediation are finding ourselves empty at times and wondering how we can move from the staleness in this relationship (our prayer life) into a vibrancy we might never have known before.
Our world has been and is becoming more and more dangerous for those who walk in the light of Jesus. So we will do well to begin to develop a relationship in His heart so that we confidently know that we are kept as dear and as close to Him as David – even closer. It is not so much a matter of learning something new but instead it is a matter of leaning and allowing. It does take time and we must love in Spirit ways. Only in Spirit can we possibly love with His love. It is a love that flows outward – His to and in us, and then we lean and allow Him to continue the flow of that Spirit-love to others. Really, everything in Him works that way. We lean, receive, and allow, then He moves and does. In the process, we become in Him what He has designed us to be.
All our works, designs, programs, etc. are of no or little value in this precious sharing of “life-with.” David was often found before His God in front of the Ark of the Covenant, which he had moved into an open-to-all tent in Jerusalem. (This, of course, is prophetically speaking of our present Kingdom age). It is thought that there he would find a place where the wings of the cherubim provided shade and in that cool shade, he would kneel/bow and spend time with His God. It may well have been a place where he would have been hidden from the eyes of others. It was a place where he knew the acceptance and the love of His God. His self-revelations in Psalms would lead us to that conclusion about His heart.
So, Beloved of God, may we also find that place in the Spirit where we kneel, lean, trust, and receive. We then will find strength for our day and the praise will rise within us in gratitude in His heart.
Lord Jesus, we bless you and thank you that we are the “apple of your eye” and you have hidden us in the shadow of the wings of your very presence. Today we stop, lean, and receive much more deeply the truth of your love and the essence of your presence. We love you, trust your enfolding, and draw near.
Mannaword 