A is for Apple

So I have been challenged by a friend to blog everyday - and theme it around the letters of the alphabet. So, I have accepted her challenge. I'm concerned that I am rusty - and much of my work is going to be plain, unimaginative, and frankly quite BORING (hint hint for tomorrow). But, writing is a process, as my daughter reminded me, and that everything I write won't be exemplary. Sigh. She is right, so with that, I will attempt to be faithful to the calling to write and write daily. Perhaps my obedience will help me work out some of the kinks of my craft and through the process help me learn more about who I am, who God is and draw me closer towards Him. With that said...here is today's post:



A is for…Apple – no, no, there must be a better correlation than that… A is for amazing, abundant, avalanche, awesome … apple. No, no, NO! A is for awesome, accurate, abounding … apple. A is for apple. I can’t help it. I’m a teacher and every teacher, every parent, every babysitter who has ever read a story to a precious child knows that A is for apple.

Apple – the dictionary defines as “a deciduous Eurasian tree having alternate simple leaves and white or pink flowers.” But that’s not my definition. No, my definition has more texture – more depth than that sterile one. An apple is fruit – sweet, juicy, cool, refreshing, life-sustaining fruit. An apple is memories – calm fall afternoons picking apples in the Julian Mountains, carting them to the store where they would be pressed into cider or baked into pies. And an apple, most importantly is a constant reminder of God’s amazing abundant love that engulfs me like an avalanche.

When I hear the word apple – my mind immediately summons from Psalm 17 that portion of the verse that says “Keep me as the apple of your eye.” I hear the word as a phrase – an idiom that means “one that is treasured.” Another way to view this idiom is by recognizing that the literal translation of this is “Little man of the eye” It is the reflection of one’s image in the other’s eye. So literally, the psalmist asks God to keep him in His eye – to never allow him to be out of His sight, out of His care, out of His protection – and He never does. My image is reflected in God’s eye. Your image is reflected in His eye. He sees and watches over us no matter where we may choose to wander. Whether we are actively seeking Him, or trying to hide far from Him, He loves us as intimately as He would love what He treasures most. We are the ‘apple of His eye.’ We are valued as one aligned with His vision – His purposes. His whole reason for creation is us. We are the apple of His eye. It is easy for me to disregard myself. To get consumed by the things I have (or have not) done as if that is the definition of my value. To think of myself as second hand junk that doesn’t matter much to anyone – but those are lies. The truth is I am the apple of God’s eye – I am under His care, His provision, His grace, His mercy and He values me. He loves me – He adores me. I am not second hand junk.

A is for Apple – for God’s abundant, all-encompassing, adoration that pours over us as an avalanche of His awesomeness. A is for being the apple of His eye– and what an amazing place that is to be!

Psalm 17:8 “Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings”
Zechariah 2:8 “…for he who touches you touches the apple of (God’s) eye” (ESV)