Wellspring of Joy
Deuteronomy 32:10b
He shielded [Jacob] and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye.
Pondering Point
Did you know that God more than once refers to His people as the “apple of His eye”?
That is way more than mere “eye candy.”
One Study Bible notes this to be the pupil in the eye, an essential part of vision and to be protected at all costs.
At what cost did God protect his people and guard us? That is the story of the Gospel of Jesus, isn’t it – His life for ours! This is yet another reason to rejoice in God our Savior who regards us highly and seeks to keep us as His – even at great cost.
Prayer
Father God, thanks for the reminder that I am greatly valued by You. That is smile-inducing and soul-satisfying. Despite my sin, You have reached out through Jesus and are so good to me – to us. Thank You. Amen.
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
In his masterpiece Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster wrote, “Loneliness is inner emptiness. Solitude is inner fulfillment.” In solitude we’re anything but alone. In fact, that's where many of us feel most in connection with God.
J.M. Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, p. 134