Gracious Acceptance - Day 5

Are you as excited and encouraged as I am to see Christ in all these fun and amazing ways? Let's not forget as we start today's study to ask the Lord to open the eyes of our heart so that we can see Him more clearly. May God's face of love shine upon you today!


His eyes are like doves by the rivers of water, washed with milk, and fitly set.

Have you ever gazed into the eyes of pure love; eyes which hold no criticism, no contempt, no expectation? The eyes of true love are gentle but passionate, kind and accepting, proof of a heart that would freely give all that one is. These are the eyes of our Lord Jesus’ toward His brothers and sisters; to those He calls His friends. These eyes are ever upon us for good. They see all things, from the smallest of needs to the greatest of sufferings. Nothing in all the earth or in our hearts, whether good or evil, magnanimous or minuscule, escapes them. Prov 15:3 says, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” And yet, in spite of the evil and irregardless of the good that may accompany our lives, these are the eyes that chose to fix upon us in pure love.

The eye, used in the scriptures, is often symbolic of one’s deep desire or longing, as well as proof of faithfulness. Wherever we are, whatever we endure, we can be assured that God’s eye will find us and remain on us in watchful care; not because of our goodness, but because of His great desire and faithfulness towards us. Hagar, while fleeing from the harsh treatment of her mistress Sarai, sat down and wept in the desert. She despaired for her life and that of her unborn son, Ishmael. The Word says that The Angel of the Lord, none other than Jesus Christ, found her there. He saw her suffering, and refreshed her thirsty body and soul. And even though Ishmael was not the son of the covenant promised to Abraham, God vowed in His mercy to watch over the life of her son and establish his greatness. And well did Hagar then say of the Lord in her hour of desperation, “You are the God who sees!” (Gen 16:13)

Hagar learned that day that although she felt abandoned and forgotten, she was never out of God’s sight. He will always know our need. No matter how alone and unnoticed we feel, we too can be confident that the eyes of the Lord are closely watching to rescue us in our hour of need and to provide for us a sure future.

There is but one way in which a person can behold the eyes of another, and that is to simply turn and look into them. We may not know yet the Lord’s presence in our lives; we may be consumed with business that distracts our vision; cares and doubts may drown our longing to look up. But He never fails. We are His greatest treasure, the pinnacle of His creation, and He watches over us constantly for good. He longs and waits expectantly, hopefully, for the moment when we will turn and behold His eyes of love shining upon us. Then we too will sing with hearts full of relief and wonder, “You are the God who sees me!”

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. (2 Chr 16:9)

Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, or single, your whole body will be full of light.” (Mt 6:22) Jesus’ eyes were indeed good, full of light, and sound; without any speck or impurity. The eye is the means of one’s sight, the faculty of knowing, and the director of his motives. Having a single eye in this context means that one’s vision, devotion and motive is exclusively fixed upon the service and purpose of God. One who lives this way will have his whole life flooded with light. No one could have modeled this better than the Lord Himself who said, “Whatever the Son see the Father do, the Son also does in like manner.” (Jn 5:19) And, “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” (Jn 5:30) And, “Not as I will, but as You will.” (Mt 26:39) Over and over Christ stated emphatically that His one purpose and aim in life was to please the Father. He had singleness of purpose and as He lived 33 sinless he years continually headed, with His face like flint, to the cross of Calvary, so that all of humanity could then be made free.

Motives and actions can only be purified by Truth, which is the Word of God. (Jn 17:17) This Word is repeatedly described as cleansing water. Even Jesus says that the Word is what cleanses us. “You are already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you.” (Jn 15:3) Jesus’ eyes, His purpose and actions and direction, were always bathed in the rivers of the Word. He Himself is that Word, as it says in John 1. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus proved that He was always immersed in the Word of Truth because of Who Jesus was and because of what He lived by and for. Truly His eyes were clean because behind them was held the very source and flood of truth.

Jesus’ eyes are constantly on us, they are pure and single in purpose for us, and they are also harmless in intention towards us. “He has the eyes of a dove,” the Shulamite says. Doves in the Bible represent the manifestation of the gentle, harmless, peaceable nature of God’s Spirit. Dove’s need accommodating surroundings, a calming presence about them, and ease from threat of harm. They are delicate and graceful. They perch above the ground as if to observe the occurrences beneath, touching down only to forage for seeds. Their flight is fast and strait with powerful wings. They are gentle and harmless toward other birds. And in contrast to the cheerful sound of song birds, doves’ soft calls often have a lamenting sound.

Many beautiful parallels are evident between these graceful birds and the Holy Spirit of God who chooses to identify with them. And the Spirit perfectly reflects Jesus in that He will always point to and portray the character of Christ. As the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Jesus will enact fast and right judgment over sin, but also will prove harmlessness concerning His redeemed. His eyes are those of a dove, gentle, full of grace, and full of the leading and power of the Spirit of God. They are proven pure by the very rivers of water which He proclaims to be. And they are right, fitly set, by pure, true motives to seek the glory and will of the Father alone.

“Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I have put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor raise His voice, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth.” (Is 42:1-4)

Questions:
1) When was a time when you felt the loving eyes of Jesus watching over you?
2) Do we look at others in our life with the same grace and compassion and good will?
3) How can we increase the “singleness” of our vision as mentioned in Mt 6?