Dove’s Eyes

“How beautiful you are, my darling, 
How beautiful you are! 
Your eyes are like doves.”

Song of Solomon 1:15 NASB

According to the Urban Dictionary:

·      Birds in general can't move their eye-balls like humans can, thus doves can only focus on one thing at a time; they would need to move the entire head to look another direction. 

·      Doves specifically have only one mate in their lives. Therefore, having “eyes like doves” epitomizes how one lover would be fully focused on their significant other - having no ability nor interest to look at another romantically/with the same love.

Wouldn’t it amazing if we could have eyes like doves for our Lord and give Him the full attention and affection as lovers would bestow on each other? 

How many times have we been distracted by every other thing such as the songs, the music, and people around you during the time of worship in church? 

The option of online church services during this pandemic has greatly increased our challenge to focus on God during worship. Do you find yourself doing things in the peripheral or using your phone during worship? 

I found myself guilty of being distracted during these online services and doing completely unnecessary things such like grabbing a snack, looking at my phone messages and even going to the toilet midway through the worship when I could have chosen a better time to do so before or after the service. There were certainly things which I would not do when I am physically at church but find myself doing, without a tinge of guilt, during the online services.

As I was preparing this post, I truly felt that God is once again reminding us that the same Almighty God who is present in the physical church is also right here with us in our homes. We need to host His presence by giving him our full and undivided attention. Just imagine Jesus is in your house right now as a guest, wouldn’t you put everything else aside just to enjoy His presence? 

“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB

Jesus was able to fulfil His purpose on the earth to bring salvation to the world as He had kept His focus on the joy set before him, and not on the sufferings and situation around him. All we have to do now, as His children, is to fix our attention on Him. 

In Matthew 14:28-31, Peter got distracted by the things around him and started to sink. 

“Peter responded and said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”  And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out with His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?””

Matthew 14:28-31 NASB

Through Peter’s experience, we can see that we will most definitely sink when we take our eyes off Jesus. If we are not vigilant and allow the influx of little distractions into our lives, we may unknowingly start to sink in our spiritual walk with Christ and lose sight of the finishing line. 

Perhaps, the Lord has impressed upon your heart to do something for Him or to make a significant change or decision for Him. Yet, there might be many things or people around you who are distracting you from fulfilling what He has set forth for you to do. You may find yourself being overwhelmed by fear or overthinking when God has already said to trust Him. We can never do it with our own strength. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and know that He will never fail and that His plans are perfect. 

I pray that at every opportunity we have (even during our own quiet time), we would look only to our God and Lover, with dove’s eyes.

God bless you,
Elina Er
Head (Events & Prayer House), The Encounter