are you the "apple of God's eye"?

"Did you know the Bible talks about apples? No, it’s not the fruit that Eve ate and gave to Adam. In fact, the Book of Genesis doesn’t name the fruit. The Bible mentions apples a handful of times. In fact, Moses writes in Deuteronomy about the Lord watching over Jacob and being the apple of his eye. Being a church in the center of the apple capital of Minnesota we should appreciate this phrase, the apple of his eye. To be the apple of someone’s eye means to be something most precious.

Did you know or ever think of yourself as the apple of God’s eye? In Psalm 17, King David prayed: I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. 7Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. 8Keep me as the apple of your eye; (6-8a)

David understood the wondrous love of God. He lived and was uplifted in God’s great forgiveness. He knew that God was his refuge from trouble and struggle in life. He knew that he was the apple of God’s eye. Was this presumptuous arrogance? No, if we read the rest of David’s psalms we know that he was brought to the depths of despair over his sins. He knew what he deserved for his sins but he also knew and trusted that the Savior who was promised to come was the one who changed David’s status in the eye of God. Because of Christ, David was the apple of God’s eye. 

Could you also be the apple of God’s eye? The Savior that David knew and trusted is Jesus Christ. We have to be honest, our status in God’s eye without Christ, if an apple, would be rotten to the core. This is sin. And as much as we polish it, as much as we do to make it look good, as much as we try to remove the sting of death which is the wages of our sin, it doesn’t change our status in the eye of God. We are the apple of God’s eye because we believe that Jesus has changed that status. Jesus’ perfect life in our place and his death on the cross for our sins has won our salvation. Trusting in Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life, God’s sees us as his most precious children, the apple of his eye.

Could you also be the apple of God’s eye? Yes you are. Rejoice and give thanks to the Lord for Jesus and the faith to believe. We just celebrated the greatest festival around, that being Applefest. We celebrate the bounty of apples, we celebrate community and friendship. But we should also be reminded and celebrate that through faith in Jesus Christ, God sees us as the apple of his eye. Keep Christ First!"

Pastor Chris Christenson

First Lutheran Church

La Crescent, MN 55947

Welcome - Pastor's Update

in God we trust

1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 

2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. 

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.                                          

4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 

6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 

8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 

10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, 

12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. 

13 Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, 

14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 

15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 

16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 

17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. 

18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed. 

19 By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; 

20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. 

21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; 

22 they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. 

23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. 

24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 

25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

26 for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared. 

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. 

28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you. 

29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. 

30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason— when they have done you no harm. 

31 Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. 

32 For the LORD detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. 

33The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. 

34 He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. 

35 The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame. 

Proverbs 3 

regardless of one's religious beliefs, the bible is undeniably a significant book in human history in both antiquity and distribution. much like aesop's fables, wisdom can be found in the bible even if it's only viewed as a collection of stories.

why haters hate

why do people hate? it's a question like "where did the universe come from?". the short answer is that we don't know. 

Genesis 4 may provide some clues as to why people hate. Genesis 4 tells us that Cain and Abel were brothers. it says that "...in the course of time..." that Cain and Abel each brought "...an offering to the LORD...". 

"The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry and dejected. Then the LORD said to Cain: 'Why are you angry? Why are you dejected? If you act rightly, you will be accepted; but if not, sin lies in wait at the door: its urge is for you, yet you can rule over it.'"  Genesis 4: 4-7

File:The Story of Cain and Abel (Bible Card).jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Genesis 4 continues. Cain kills Abel and God punishes Cain by taking his livelihood (farming) away from him. Cain was forced to "wander the earth" and he feared for his life. God told Cain that if anyone killed him that they would be "avenged seven times".

The remainder of Genesis 4 and Genesis 5 tell the fate of outcast Cain and his descendants and of the family that he was separated from. Cain was cursed; the rest of his family was not.

people hate because they choose to hate. when haters hate, they bring dishonor on themselves and on their progeny. hating breeds hate. it's a choice that has consequences.


footnote: regardless of one's religious beliefs, the bible is undeniably a significant book in human history in both antiquity and distribution. much like aesop's fables, wisdom can be found in the bible even if it's only viewed as a collection of stories.