“Keep me as the apple of the eye;  Hide me in the shadow of Your wings”

Today I share this lesson:

     Saul was looking for David. He wanted to kill David so David ran and went into hiding.

     Things in life can get us down. I have to admit this Covid19 stuff is difficult. No real involvement with others is so difficult. “I am wound up with no where to go.” You have heard this saying before but this is the first that I have ever felt real cabin fever. Suddenly I want to bust out and run across the field as fast as I can (at almost 72 it wouldn’t be very fast). But THEN…… God intervenes and the Energizer Bunny has to slow down.  In fact, it is hard for me to act like I ever had that much energy. When we were in Brazil they use to say to me, “Slow Down.” I was always in a hurry. I had no idea how much I would slow down. As the treasurer for the mission I was installed at a time of great transition. If I received checks from banks in Recife, I had to go the the very bank the check was drafted from. A branch bank in the same system did not work. I would go to Bank 4702 and wait in a long, long, long line sometimes wrapping around the bank BUILDING twice.  It was there the Lord taught me patience and the power of a testimony. Sometimes I waited two hours in line to get to the teller. Then the teller looked up the name and verified the account ledger. The teller first  went to the original file where they would take the file, enter the new debit amount and post it against the balance. That was the quick processes. BUT if the file was not in its original spot they would go to about ten desks where people were posting checks against the accounts. At each desk they would look for the account. Usually they would locate it within an hour and a half. They would post any other checks that were clipped to the account and then verify if there were enough funds to post my check against the account. Most of the times it went through but sometimes they shook there head no… NO FUNDS TODAY! I would smile, say thank you and head off to the next bank to start the process all over. Often, it was three and a half hours trying to cash one or two checks. Then SUDDENLY  one day it was announced that things had changed. Everything was connected to an automated computer system. UNBELIEVABLE… the accounts were accessed instantly in various cities. That system was ahead of banking in the U.S.A.  It was as though we were suddenly transformed into a different era. The two hour lines were gone and the teller searching for the account ledger was over. What a sudden change. God can bring that kind of change to our lives.

     Now, back to the Bible. David was afraid for his life! He ran and hid ….. kind of like those old ledgers. The response, “espero um momento” …. wait just a moment were dreaded words because the search was started!! So it was with David. He had become that handsome, young man “Apple” in God’s eye. But David was hated by Saul so he ran and hid for safety. He hid from the King in caves and elsewhere, but God always knew where David was. He was like a young bird, even a baby hawk hiding under mother’s wing not realizing how he would one day fly high soaring into the heavens then suddenly dive rapidly, falling to the earth to catch prey scurrying across the meadow.  God’s magnificent creation at work.

     King Saul lost favor with God! In the northern kingdom of Judah when Saul died they turned to his only surviving son, Ishbaal. But the elders of the southern kingdom turned to David, whom the Lord showed favor on. So with time for the favored man of God, the “Apple of God’s eye” came out of hiding and stood tall, now known as King David.

    Even in dark, lonely days we must be prepared to come forth, and ONE DAY rip off our face masks, breathe deep and be conquerors!! There is a time to hide but also a time to LIVE, to shine as the Apple of God’s eye. “We will understand it better by and by!”

    There is an interesting postscript in this biblical story for all of my southern friends. God anointed the Southern King and kingdom to overcome the Northern Kingdom. Think about that and……….well…… just SMILE!

Let me pray with you,

Dear God, You know us and we want to know you better each day. We have heard so many stories of suffering, death and people left damaged due to Covid19, Cancer and injuries. We seek a hiding place. Yet nothing is more beautiful than a bushel of bright red apples! To be an apple in God’s eye is so amazing. We each are selected to become who you want us to be! We know in the fall there are bright, shinny, crisp apples, apple sauce with chunky pieces of apple, toffee and candy apples on a stick, apple fritters and cake, apple pie or just a big old apple that has been polished to eat with warm buttery popcorn. So many varieties, yet each one has a purpose. We want to delight you, oh Lord! Be pleased of our actions and purpose. We praise your holy name! Amen and again AMEN!