Apple of Whose Eye
Apple of Whose Eye
(#048 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
www.sufferwell.org
But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. Yahweh does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart [center of intellect].” (1 Samuel 16:7)
Shaul (Paul) taught that we must take every thought captive and make it obedient unto the Messiah (2 Corinthians 10:5). He was revealing the Messianic allusion of the words of the great prophet. He says, “You judge by appearances;” (v. 7) you are looking at the outside, the physical, but it is the mind that truly matters (v. 5). Yes, the mind, and the command to take every thought captive, is magnificently congruous with the prophet’s Hebrew understanding of the heart, the center of intellect. People look at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart! Yahweh is looking for the mind of the Messiah in you. Oh yes loved one, [His] ways are higher than your ways and [His] thoughts [higher] than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)
King David was a man after Yahweh’s heart; “the apple of His eye” (Psalm 17:8). Who was David? He was a murderer, an adulterer! Let there be no doubt; there are many “Davids” in the church today, who are lost in their iniquity, and yet who are madly devoted to the things of the Father. The church itself would deem these modern-day “Davids” as sinners, guilty, unclean, and even not fit for salvation. And they would accuse those sinners in their hearts, while at the same time singing praises to the “Lord” at weekly services, using words from the very Psalms written by David, the murder and adulterer.
The truth about David’s courage and lineage is preached, which of course leads to the Messiah. But, the preaching commences with fervor as does the condemnation of these modern-day Davids. And all of this is shielded under the umbrella of self-proclaimed righteousness. This disconnect is not because so much time has passed since King David walked the earth, as if time would heal the constructs of the ego. Time does not change the heart of man. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of the Almighty. (Romans 3:23)
This disconnect is due to the denial that the brand of “church” or practice of “Christianity” they preach does not coincide with the true intent of their thoughts, the wickedness in their hearts. Unforgiveness and condemnation is the manifest evidence. We love to acknowledge the Messiah’s greatness as He “forgives us even though we do not know what we are doing. (Luke 23:34).” And yet, it is a rarity indeed to witness a modern-day believer lay down his life for another, especially one who is “unworthy.”
Yahweh is looking for those who realize that if He only used “good” people to do His work on the earth, then there would be no one to use. Stop wrongly judging your living brother by appearances, while at the same time glorifying the dead heroes of the faith who were just like them. This, indeed, is a reality check for us all!