We Are the Apple of God's Eye

Scriptural Basis


Psalm 17: 8-10 (BCP Page 601)

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me under the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who assault me, from my deadly enemies who surround me.  They have closed their heart to pity, and their mouths speak proud things.

Blog Reflection

If Christians could only learn that they and all whom God has created are the apple of God's eyes, our Church and world would be such a different place.

In this Psalm the author is pleading with God to be delivered from whatever enemies he/she is facing.  As we read from vs 1 to the end we can easily get the impression that for this psalmist, life really sucks.   Enemies are surrounding on every side. The psalmist is looking for relief from those things that are oppressive.   Yet the psalmist knows that God sees her/him as the apple of God's eye, and pleads with God to be hid beneath God's motherly and protective wings. 

As most of us have been hearing that President Obama is considering to offer cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security to get a deal with Republicans for a budget to increase the debt ceiling, there are so many elderly, retired, disabled and poor individuals feeling like the enemies are closing in on them.  Those who have every thing to lose in a deal like that have every reason to fear the worst.   When you are at the bottom with only one or two lines to hang on to during these harsh economic times, hearing that your health care and ability to pay for a place to live, put food in your mouth could be jeapordized, fear and anxiety are a natural response to such news.

As we continue to hear of politicians signing a declaration to make marriage equality for LGBT people illegal  and suggest that being LGBT is a "choice", those already marginalized by society and the Church, face even more prejudice to help political candidates advance their own careers. 

Not only LGBT people, but the same politician I am referring to, hopes that the high unemployment numbers just released will aid her campaign to become president. 

The Christianists are basing their entire objection against equal rights for LGBT people because of their obsession with anal sex between consenting and loving adults.   Some how that obsession is a good reason to create political, social and religious based hostility and bigotry towards LGBT people.

These events and many others that I do not have the space to name or include give us real reasons to wonder what will happen?   Are we at a point where there is no hope?   What will become of the US in these troubled times?  How will Christians impact these and other events in the world for the better?

I do believe that Christians can make an incredible impact on what is going on.  If only we will recognize that we and all of God's created people are the apple of God's eye, and under God's maternal wings.  There are no losers, none that are not important to God.  Therefore it is in our best interest as Christians and people of good will to do all we can to support every person who remains in the margins.  

As Christians we support equality for LGBT people because sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression is no reason to disqualify her or him from being included among God's beloved as apples of God's eye.  

We do not support taking health care and social security from the disabled, poor, retired and elderly because they too are among those who are the apple of God's eyes.

There is also the whole golden rule thing about "do unto others as you would have them do to you."   We would help those on the margins of society and the Church, because we all will find ourselves at some point or another on those same margins needing others to help.  As we are all connected by our common humanity and the fact that we are social beings, we would not want to leave one another without some way to be helped.  Without someone to love and care for them.  That is why Christians and all people of good will need to reach out and do what we can do for those who need us to help.

Among the hardest issues at times like these is feeling like we are at the bottom all alone.  

When facing the reality of a mental illness.  A lost job, home, health, sense of security.  God becomes ever more real when the kindness of another person reaches out in love, to help those who are feeling helpless. 

Sometimes the answer to a person in needs prayers is one of us.  God is present with all of us.  When we reach out with a helping hand and an arm of compassion, God's presence is experienced.   Healing and reconciliation brings us a step closer to hope and prosperity when God's people help each other in those down and out times.

I would suggest that among the things we can do in these difficult times when health care and social security are now threatened, we should do all we can to tell our President to take those off the table.  Write President Obama an email at the White House Contact Us page and/or call the White House Comment Line at 202-456-1111.

May we all be grateful that we are the apple of God's eyes and under God's wings God does hold and love us.

Prayers

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 9, Book of Common Prayer, page 230).

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Mission, Book of Common Prayer, page 100).

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, page 823).