Give Me Dove's Eyes

I don’t wanna talk about you

like you’re not in the room

I wanna look right at you

I wanna sing right to you

…

Give me dove’s eyes

Give me undistracted devotion

For only you

Dove’s eyes – Misty Edwards

  It was a little over a month ago that I was worshipping the Lord in church. The speaker had us take some time just to let Abba tell us who we are and what He likes about us. I remember hearing "Your eyes are like doves." I thought it was a really odd thing to hear, since I was probably expecting something like "I like your smile" or "I love when you sing to me." I didn't think too much about it until a week later I found out what God was really saying. 

I opened my Bible one day to read,  “Behold, you are fair, My love! behold, you are fair!  You have dove's eyes.”  Song of Solomon 1:15. 

  Dove's eyes! Ahh, I remember hearing this myself. This is such an intriguing phrase. To dive deeper into understanding what this means, I first wanted to literally look at the design of a dove's eye. 

  Doves are known to have impeccable eyesight. They actually have some of the best vision in all of the animal kingdom. Vision is their most important sense for survival. However, a dove's eyes are set to where they can only focus on one thing at one time. Usually this focus is for a mate. When you observe two doves who have found each other, they do everything as if they were made to move as one. Their eyes are constantly fixed on one another. 

What's interesting about the human eye design, is that we have peripheral vision. Our brain actually creates the illusion of a greater visual span by automatically and unconsciously moving our center of vision into any area of interest in our field of view. 

  We live in a world full of distractions, and He is fully aware. I'm not gonna pull a holy card on this one, it's just flat out hard to give Abba the undivided devotion He is worthy of sometimes. It's something we have to daily fight to do and be intentional about. Our flesh looks at the things around us, such as money, popularity, illegal substances, inappropriate relationships, etc. and stirs up a lie that it's okay to "look" at those things too, we can handle it. There are so many things that may look interesting, but one glance at them can easily turn into a gaze, and all of a sudden your back is facing your True Love. There's an illusion that our focus is able to extend further than it actually does. If I'm looking at more t.v shows, magazine articles, social media, etc than at God's Word, how does He have my full attention? I know it's extreme to say cut all those things out of your life. I wouldn't say that, but I would say that there is a way to acknowledge God in everything. Now this isn't me saying, it's cool to read articles like "How to Make Your Man Want You" and try to apply moralistic principles to it. That's just silly. Use discernment about what you allow your eyes to behold. The bible gives WAY better counsel than any of that junk anyway. 

  So why is having "dove's eyes" versus "beautiful eyes" chosen as a compliment between lovers? There is simply nothing more beautiful than undivided devotion to God. We were made to desire supernatural eyes that we might dwell on the beauty of Abba. We were made to delight in Him as He delights in us. We were made to watch Him as He watches us. Those who LOOK to Him for help will be radiant with joy (Psalm 34:5.) I lift my EYES to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord! The Maker of heaven and earth! (Psalm 121:1-2.) If your EYE is healthy, your whole body will be full of light (Matt. 6:22.) We sing out for God to open the EYES of our heart. Why? Our spiritual survival is dependent on this sole focus, just as a dove is dependent on their vision in order to physically survive. 

  What's especially beautiful about a dove, is that that it symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:16 says, "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him." Luke 3:22 says, " and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” 

  When God gazes into the eyes of His Children, He sees His Spirit. How magnificant is that? It's literally like He is looking into a mirror. We ravish His heart with just one glance of our eye (Songs 4:9.) He is moved by the beauty and purity of the Spirit He sees in us. What a powerful gift we have inside of us! Nothing else can move God's heart in this way.  

So I encourage those who read this to pray protection over your precious eyes, that you might see beyond the distractions of this temporary place, and see Abba's face and your true home He looks forward to welcoming you to. May we desire to dwell in His house, to trust His lead, and to align our hearts as one with His. Give us dove's eyes! 

P.S What's funny is I took an online "bird personality" quiz just for fun. Guess what I was? Yep, a dove :)