Philemon: Fixing Fellowship pt 12
The Gospel is about reconciliation. God being reconciled to humanity through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But how often do we think about how this ‘Gospel reconciliation’ impacts our relationships with each other? The apostle Paul challenged his dear friend Philemon to be reconciled to his former slave, Onesimus, who ran away from him. In Paul’s encouragement to Philemon to forgive his former slave, we see an amazing picture of how the Gospel transforms our relationships — especially with those who have wronged us.
20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
Reflection: How have you gone at refreshing the heart of a sister or brother in Christ? This is the one thing that Paul wants from Philemon, that he would be refreshed by the news that Philemon welcomed his former slave as a brother in Christ. It is a powerful demonstration of the Gospel. Imagine the impact that this would have had on their local church and for their witness in the local community at Colossae. In the same way, we show welcome and love to others, especially in the midst of difficult circumstances, it has a deep impact on those around us.
Question: There are many ways we can seek to refresh others; encouraging them, praying for them, listening to them, finding small ways to practically serve them. What is something simple you can do today to refresh a sister or brother in Christ?
Prayer: Lord, may you give me the humility and grace to refresh the hearts of those around me as I show the love of Christ. Work in me, I pray, for your glory, not my own.
Angus is one of the pastors at Orange Presbyterian Church. He and Steph have three children, a puppy and a veggie garden.
This devotion first appeared in the Bible Society’s Daily Bible Devotions, February 2023
More Reflections.
Often, we build something up so much in our minds, that the experience we want becomes almost unattainable. We romanticise what we think it will be like and we think “If I can just do this one thing or tick this one experience off my bucket list, then I will be able to feel a sense of fulfilment that I wouldn’t necessarily have had otherwise”.