God's Party Line
Updated: Mar 9, 2021
Romans 5:3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Life is all about connections isn't it? There was a time when the phone in the pic above was the most used instrument for connecting with others. Early on that connection was shared with others at times and that connection was called a Party Line. A party line is the type of line that when you make a call you are making a call on a shared line that everybody on that line can access anytime they want. Not very private, but it was doeable back in the day and callers would listen for someone else breathing a little more heavy on the line and then they would say something like "Hey this is a private call, so please get off the line." My grandkids don't even know what the phone in the photo above is and they freaked out when I told them about the function of the party line.
Contrary to belief, the party line was not a place to have a party. Even though I guess it was the first Zoom calling method for those on that particular group of lines, without the video of course. The Party Line was the early stimulus for gossip. As if gossip needed any help from a party line.
In the above scripture a process is shared of what happens when we run into trials and problems. The line that follows goes like this endurance, strength of character, confident hope of salvation, and all that is prompted and made possible by the Holy Spirit. The first three words of this scripture says "we can rejoice. Rejoice over trials? We have to look beyond the trials and look at what it is producing in our walk with God. We have to look further down the line and even though it may not seem like it. It is a party line because it applies to all of us and it makes it possible to sympathize with each other and give encouragement because we are all going through these trials and we need the encouragement. This is where the fellowship of the living church comes in and gives us that help to get "over the hump!" We always believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is in existence in our Koinonia fellowship and this is best seen in how we help each other in this thing we call the "Christian Walk."
So this Party Line is not a place of gossip and "listening in" to other's conversations, but allowing God to help us encourage others as they go through these trials, and do that even when we are in this same "party" of fellow strugglers. We get to know other's trials and problems and the reason is to help and encourage, not hurt and gossip. That gives us the reason to rejoice as the scripture says, because it kicks into motion a stirring our faith, and the faith of our brothers and sisters in Christ to a response of love. Now that is a Godly Party Line and the connections are made possible by the Holy Spirit. Paul continued on in Galatians 6:1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
Get in on God's Party Line and see the Holy Spirit help you in your struggles as well. This the way of Christ.
The Pilgrimage continues.....
David Warren