Philemon: Fixing Fellowship pt 2
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.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus.
Reflection: Paul gives thanks to God that Philemon loves God and loves his church family. Philemon seems like the kind of person who loves his church in big ways. They meet in his home; he’s most likely one of the leaders in the church, and sacrificially loves them. It is these types of people that our churches need. We know these people. They serve in ways that people may never see. They care deeply for those around them. They are always ready to listen and pray. They are always there to encourage others. You may think, ‘I could never be like that’ – but here’s the wonderful thing — you can be. You can send a quick message of encouragement to someone. When you say, ‘I’ll pray for you’, do it right there with them. Ask or look for something that needs doing, no matter how small or unglamorous it may be. Think about how you can show love to someone else, even if it is not shown back to you.
Prayer: Lord, may I have a love for all your people. May I love like you do and serve with humility. Help me encourage those around me.
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”.