The God App
Recently, while using one of those directional apps such as Waze or Google maps or Apple maps, I turned off the road I was travelling on, before the app told me to. It was a simple error, the app said turn left in 800 meters and I turned left, into a side road, about 500 meters. As I traveled along the road, I realized that I was in a dangerous neighborhood. I was frightened and confused as to what to do.
Just then, the reassuring voice of the app switched back on and said, turn right in 200 meters. I thought I had confused the app, by turning into the wrong road. However, the app recalibrated my position, and plotted a new way out, toward my destination. In a few minutes I was out of the neighborhood and back on the main road.
As I reflected on my experience, I realized that the app operates in imitation of God. God is drawing us all, individually, toward him. So often in life we take wrong turns that lead us into dangerous places. God recalibrates our position and plots a new way back toward him. We are never lost, we are never abandoned, wherever we are in life, God is recalibrating and leading us back toward him. How reassuring.
Explaining my metaphor to a RCIA group, one lady approached me after the presentation, and said ‘that is so true, I was running from the call of God for 44 years, always turning down dark alleys, but God never abandoned me, he would always recalibrate my position and lead me toward him. Here I am today. I hope my running is over’.
The God app is coded into our very being. Our soul thirsts for God. There is a pull toward God that originates deep inside. The God app doesn’t only give directions, it pulls us in the direction. However, the pull is gentle and can be over-ridden by our own free will, hence the reason we so often get lost.
Prayer, particularly the sacraments, strengthens the pull of the app, by reducing the resistance of our desire to do our own thing. Also, it is not dependent on us purchasing an expensive phone, the God app is given free of charge. There is no need for a newer version. We never get out of range of the signal. It never makes mistakes.
I urge you to listen and respond positively to the God app
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