Philemon, Onesimus & Paul

Talk about God being a great orchestrator! God was working in Philemon, Onesimus & Paul from the very beginning! They didn't know it but He did!

Loved what Krista Williams from #First5 shared this yesterday from Philemon... A Slave’s Story of Forgiveness Krista Williams Today’s Reading: Philemon 1 Philemon 1:17-18 (NIV) “So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.” I wonder sometimes if we forget just how magnificent a story God has written. Truly, it’s better than Hollywood’s major motion pictures. Imagine this as the movie trailer to an epic film … He’s an escaped slave who’s stolen from his master and is now on the run. Fleeing to the other side of the world, he encounters a man who befriends him. This new friend radically changes the slave’s life with the truth of the gospel. At some point, the slave confesses his sin against his former master only to discover that his friend not only knows his master but is also the very one who shared the life-changing truth of the gospel with the master and led him to Christ. This is not a Hollywood story line. And this is not only the story of Onesimus, Paul and Philemon under the creative direction of God. But more personally, this is our story as well because Paul’s letter to Philemon depicts the gospel lived out. This is a story of forgiveness, redemption and reconciliation. Like Onesimus, we were guilty. We were on the run from God. Trying to hide and escape. Like Paul, Jesus steps in to introduce us to freedom and forgiveness. And just as Paul says to Philemon, “If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me” (Philemon 1:18), Jesus takes our sin and the debt we owe and adds it to His account. He pays for our crime. This is redemption, to buy back or settle a debt free and clear. Because of Paul, Onesimus and Philemon are reconciled. Because of Christ, we are reconciled to God. What was the end of this story? We don’t know but surely forgiveness flowed. The historical evidence suggests Philemon returned Onesimus back to Paul. It appears likely from history that Onesimus, the runaway slave, through the passage of time became Timothy’s successor as the pastor at Ephesus. Onesimus was known as the great Bishop of Ephesus. This man whose name meant “useful” was useless until he met Christ. The most confused, twisted life can ultimately be seen as a beautiful tapestry of God’s grace. The evil that you did, or that has been done to you, could be the very thing that brings you to Christ. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that Onesimus’s story is my story. Thank You. Jesus. for dying in my place and paying the full price for my sin. Out of gratitude and love for You, help me to share Your truth with others so they too might be forgiven and freed. In Jesus’ name, amen." My thoughts...

What if Paul had been pouting about being in prison? What if he didn't care about Onesimus? What if he had just stayed to himself? What if Onesimus had never shared his story? Or what if he had never committed the crime? What if he hadn't gone back to Philemon? What if Philemon made Onesimus "pay the price" and didn't release him back to Paul? What if Paul had never met Philemon? Who would've helped Timothy? Would Ephesus have been the same?

What if... God hadn't known and prepared this all in advance? Who could coordinate a story like this other than God?

My friends... God is beyond our wildest dreams! He really can do more than we ask or can even imagine. He just needs us to trust Him and obey where He leads. The key is that we have to know Him and His voice so that He can do the amazing in us and through us!

This life is about so much more than just us! Our story is not just interwoven with our own threads but coordinates with so many others!

Be encouraged today and expect something amazing!