The God App'

The God App'

I love my smart phone. I am rather technologically challenged, so I will not be found in the long queues of excitement at the Apple stores waiting for the anticipated release of the iPhone 6. I own just a simple Samsung Galaxy 3, but it does have the cutest bright pink bumble bee cover for it. This is not my first smart phone. Until recently I owned a Samsung Galaxy 2. I purchased the S2 with very little knowledge of all I would be able to do with such a small device, that I could pop easily into my pocket.

Several years ago I was ready for an upgrade. I drove the forty-five minutes to the nearest small city to be able to make the necessary purchase from the store owned by my service provider. I had been hearing about smart phones and I was up for the terrifying leap into the unchartered territory of the such a phone. In the shop, the pretty sales girl took me into the confusing world of mobiles and plans and costs and contracts. She presented phone after phone to me and discussed their different functions. I was zoned out with information overload. What was an app’ anyway? I just desired a mobile that could do the basics, enable me to text message my then teenaged children ( highly important) , ring them and take photos. Finally, I heard the words that sung a song to my heart, “cheapest contract”. Now I was all ears and definitely following the conversation. However, as things would turn out, the phone I really wanted, at the price I really wanted, was only available from my service provider’s call centre and not through the actual shop. I was disappointed as I was all ready to enjoy my new mobile that very day. I spent about half an hour eagerly on the phone with a professional sales assistant.  I completed the unavoidable information they required, and my new mobile phone was placed in the mail to be speedily delivered within five working days. So I waited, and waited, and waited, not so patiently. After seven working days, I contacted my service provider, only to be told that according to their records, my mobile phone had been not only been dispatched, but had reached my local parcel centre and had been, according to them, received by me. Alas they were mistaken. 

Four weeks later, after many prayers and God’s divine intervention, I finally did obtain my first smart phone. Those four weeks had been fraught with misery. My service provider was absolutely certain I had received my new phone, and I was absolutely certain I had not. I was placed on a merry go round between Australian call centres and off shore call centres in India, all to no avail. No one would help me. No one could answer me, and they most definitely were not going to supply a replacement phone for the one I was about to start paying for and didn’t have in my possession. God hears and answers our prayers and I contacted the local Ombudsman, whose job it was to make sure that agencies fulfil their functions properly and improve their delivery of their services to the public. The Ombudsman is an independent and impartial watchdog. With several swift communications between the Ombudsman and my service provider, my contract was suddenly terminated, with no loss to myself and I was given permission to freely go to a store and start my purchase all over again. 

With an appreciation of God and a song in my heart, I departed for the local store, and that is when I entered the land of mobile phone data. The time spent relentlessly contacting my service provider at Indian call centres and with no outcome, had not been worthless. It had in fact taken me into a one week window of opportunity created by my service provider to lure customers into the  wonderful world of gigabyte usage. I finally received the phone I had desired, at the price I had desired, but with the sudden delight of an upgrade of 2 Gb for the same cost. I had no idea when I first held that phone the power of communication it held. 

I am an extrovert by nature. I love to talk and I love my smart phone. Here I am now with a phone full of apps from diary’s to gardening journals to the bible. However, I love the communication apps. At my finger tips I can be in touch with any friend, at any time, at any place. I can be a passenger in the car, standing in a line at the check out, sitting at a doctors waiting room and yet be in touch with family and friends. I have facebook, instagram, viber, whatsapp, wee chat, and the facebook messenger app. With precious family and loving friends living far away and my dear church family several hours away, my apps get a work out. My best friend lives overseas. We are in constant communication with each other, all day, every day. I have varying ring tones for each app and during the day little tunes and rings and dings sing out to me for their attention, particularly from my best friend. My ears are tuned in to hear her calls and messages and I am quick to respond.

If there was a God app,’ would I download it? If my God app’ played a little tune of “Amazing Grace”, would I dash in eager happiness to hear from Him, and respond joyfully back? What would He say? What would I say? Does God have first place in my heart and in my communications? We all have a God App’ but it doesn’t need a mobile phone. It’s called prayer. Is my mind lifted moment by moment in thoughtful contemplation and quiet communion with God despite all that is going on around me? Do I turn to Him to share as readily as I do on my apps’? Do I message Him first through prayer when I have a question, a comment, a thought, or I need His divine help? God is more desirous to hear from me than any of my dearly beloved family or friends whom I message. Am I longing to hear from Him?

1 Thess 5:17, 17 Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

Eph 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints

1 John 5:14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.