For the last day of my “staycation”, my kids were back in school and my wife and I had the day to do whatever. We decided to spend at least part of the rainy day at an outdoor mall–go figure. We headed up to Short Pump Town Center and actually most of the walkways were covered from the rain. Because of the weather we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

That is until we got to the Apple store–the one that sells the iPods, the iPhones, the iMacs, the iBooks and the iHaventShoweredLately. Honestly (and I’m not trying to slam anyone here), its as if you have to fit (or have) some mold to work there. And that’s not a problem with me at all. It’s Apple’s right (or at least the manager of that store) to pick and choose whatever type of person he/she deems will push the product the best. And while the vast majority of the mall was a veritable ghost town, the iStore was hopping. They were even calling numbers like some kind of cybergeek deli. It was crazy. And best of all, entertaining.

So, like the dutiful American male that I am, I sauntered through whilst my bride was in a store next door looking at things that don’t plug in. I wandered the isles of white-encased electric wonder with eyes-wide-open and just a hint of drool. After all, Macs are quite incredible.

And the minds behind the Macs are quite intellegent, too. Among other things, they have convinced the public at large that there’s an “app” for anything. That is, they have the answer for any problem you can come up with. Their mantra: “There’s an app for that.”

Now, I’m not trying to drag Jesus into everything. I’m pretty sure He’s already there. I just like it when I see Him in unexpected places, like the Apple store.

The life that Jesus lived on earth and how He exists today in heaven is thoroughly practical, if nothing else. As He moved about on this earth, even at a young age He was constantly making a difference. And to those who were of sincere heart and searching faith, He was the “App” they’d been looking for. He was the solution to the problem. He was the answer to the questions. He was the conclusion to the wandering.

This life of “application” that Jesus lived was found clearly in His various “I am” statements. Read the Gospels and you’ll find Jesus saying of Himself, “I am light”, “I am bread”, “I am living water”, and even the proposterous “I am The Way”. It seemed that no matter what the need, Jesus was the “app”.

So, while it may be a stroke of marketing genius for Mac to declare, “There’s an app for that”, it was Jesus who first lived that message. And upon His ascension, has given His followers the glorious privilege of living of life that truly makes a difference, answers the questions, and presents the solution. No matter the past, no matter the trial, no matter the confusion, no matter the hurt, no matter the unspeakable pain, no matter the failures, no matter the need, no matter the sin….”there’s an app for that.”