the single eye

In Psalm 32, after describing the joy of being forgiven by God - a potent encouragement for us in this penitential season of Lent - The Lord gives David a promise for repentant sinners:  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My Eye (32:8).

"The Eye" of God, singular, is notable not only in the Native-American God's-Eye or the Eye of Providence on our dollar bills, but also in the Bible.  It connotes God's omniscience and watchful care, as in our being in The Apple (or Center/Pupil) of His Eye (Psalm 17:8).  He is the ever-watchful Father, constantly looking at His Child, never taking His Eye(s) away.

And, like a parent looking at their children, God is looking for His Child to look back at Him.  And so, in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light (Matthew 6:22).  That singular reference to "eye" (often mistranslated as plural) again indicates watchfulness for God, never taking the eye of one's heart off of Him.  The word "healthy" in its origin means "single", denoting that singularly-focused vision which we are to have of Him.

This Lent, in addition to devoting attention to repentance, fasting, and prayer, how about also focusing your eye on God as His Eye is focused on you?  Practice His Presence by "seeing" Him in every place, whether at home, at work, or school, in the neighborhood, whenever or wherever.  And as you do, you will surely notice that you are indeed in The Apple of His Eye, and there's no better place than that.