Way back in BC days, Before Cellphones, we used to talk on a land line. To
me still the most reliable, as a few years back I came upon a biker in an
accident, and he had no cell coverage. I had to go to 3 farmhouses, some 20
miles, to finally get a land line for an ambulance. And I was amazed at how
easily I got through, because the farmers were on a party line, a shared line,
not the pay per minute 976 numbers many use today. I picked up the phone,
dialed, no push buttons here, and soon a person came on the other end, we
talked, not texted so I could answer questions quickly, and soon he was on his
way to the hospital ER. Truly technology was a good thing, but it didn’t work
where there are no cells for phones. A device we take for granted, personal
they even call them, with no party lines in sight.
When I was a teenager the phone was important. Still in the dial up era,
in 8th grade for good grades my parents got me an extension phone I my room,
with push buttons-suddenly it was 1968! And got rid of the party line, which
cost them an extra dollar a month. But maybe an explanation of what a party
line is will help here. Think of a party line as one number with different
extensions. Each number being an extension, but you can only call that
extension when the other lines are open. If someone else on the party line is
on it, you cannot call out, and the caller gets a busy signal. Which makes it
hard to get through sometimes, it seems someone is always on the phone. And
even 37 years ago when first married and living at Vallecito Lake, we had a
party line. Which we paid for by the mile, 27 miles from town. Which beat
walking down to the phone booth, more evidence of days gone by, and stand in the
cold and snow. Today everyone except for me has a cell phone, with call
waiting, texting, and voice mail. Which makes it possible to talk on the phone
without ever talking to a real person. And we consider that communicatin? So
much for the old ad “reach out and touch someone, reach out and just say hi,”
and they call them personal. Impersonal is more like it. Which may explain why
so many don’t get it when you tell them about a personal relationship with God
through Jesus. God is just a text message away...and they can text in church,
you know who you are. And never have to talk or listen to God. But long before
phones, God provided a way to talk to and with us. Called prayer, it receives
and both sends messages from the heart. Spoken and unspoken. Better than any
text, and you always get through. And so does God, yet many have put him on
mute. Or don’t want to hear from him, or when they do don’t like his answer.
Bad coverage they claim, yet the system isn’t the problem, they are.
And God has made it easy. One way to him, only through Jesus Christ.
Which some call narrow minded. Don’t all roads lead to God? Don’t all phone
calls get through? There are no party lines to God, no call waiting. And he
makes it easy with Jesus. One way. Only one number to remember. One person to
call. And he is so caring and loving, he gets every call exactly as you place
it. And answers to, if only we didn’t put him on hold. Many ways to God is a
lie, and only can cause confusion. What if God was on a party line? And you
poured your heart out to some stranger, or strange God who led you astray?
Which is why God has only one way, so we don’t get led astray. What part of
easy don’t you get? Yet many don’t want the personal communication, and suffer
for it. Jesus is the way, the life. The only way to God. If only your cell
phone had one number and it was his. Yet many prefer to try other methods and
wonder why they never get an answer. Someone else intercepted the call, and the
answer they get back will not be from God. It might sound good, but only God’s
people know his true voice. How many calls can you identify without looking to
see who it is because you cannot identify the voice? Is this like your prayer
life?
So God sent Jesus. One way, one call, and his line is always open for
you. If it has been awhile, call him right now, he would love to hear from
you. And he also wants us to hear from him. He calls it communication, a
dialogue not a monologue. Where both participate. The Bible calls it prayer,
and we need it daily, and Psalm 1 tells us to be filled with joy if we meditate,
hang out, or communicate with him daily. And so we have come a long way from
party lines. But has your prayer life? Are you even basing your salvation on a
party line and not a direct line? Jesus still reaches out and touches lives,
let him touch you today, be that someone who he touches. Just say hi, he would
love to hear from you. Do we want to hear from him?
Long before telecommunications of any level were, Jesus was. And God
established communication early in history with Adam. One on one. And that
type of communication with God is still available today. His number is Jesus,
just call out and he will answer. And as you get to know his voice, and get to
know him, pretty soon you talk of many things more personal. And you find that
true prayer, true communication with God involves listening too. And hearing
his voice will sound so good, in times of distress and even the good times.
Jesus was the original app, and no device needed. Remember that next time
someone tells you there are many ways to God. Give him the number that gets
them through. And call him often yourself. He loves to hear from you. I hope
you love to her from him,too.
Now I regards to pay phones....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com