October 30–Freedom
Today is little Ozzie’s birthday. He’s nine years old today. It surely doesn’t seem very long ago that his mama called to say “I’m so sorry, but I’m in labor!” We laugh about it now, but we had been home 20 minutes from an 18-hour marathon with her sister’s premature delivery. So, we put our shoes back on and headed to the hospital. Again. But despite our exhaustion for his arrival, we have been richly blessed by his presence in this world for the last nine years.
“And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.”
Philemon 1:6-7 NLT
I can use these very same words Paul wrote to Philemon for a message to Ozzie, but Paul wrote them for a very different reason. He was writing to his friend whom he had met in his travels, to urge him to accept a runaway slave without repercussion.
He started out the letter the way he starts all of his letters—thanking God for people. i love how he does that and what a great habit to emulate. Paul acknowledges that Philemon is a pretty great guy—devoted and faithful, hospitable, caring, a community leader, and he loved people. Paul says “has refreshed the hearts of people.” People in Philemon’s home church were full of joy, full of love, singing songs, and reading Scripture. When anyone need anything, Philemon was ready to serve. Yet he owned slaves. There was no concept of a world without slavery at this time. Philemon was likely good to his slaves, but one of them had ran away to follow Paul.
It makes you wonder if that group of believers, talking about their freedom in Christ, ever wondered what that meant for the slaves. Especially since one of the slaves, Onesimus, had ran away. One day however, Onesimus returned and curiously, with a band of Christians sent by Paul. They carried letters to the church, and one was addressed privately to Philemon.
Do you think they marveled at the irony of the whole thing? Paul, the man who talked about freedom more than anyone, the man who brought freedom in Christ to all the believers. Paul who was in chains and yet knew so confident in his freedom. And here was Onesimus the runaway returning of his own free will to his master! That slave somehow, seems to have taken hold of that freedom Paul spoke so much about. What a faith lesson for them all...and for us!
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for little Ozzie and all he means to us. We thank you for this short book Paul writes to help us understand real freedom in you. What an amazing person and what a loving follower of God Philemon must have been for Paul to say such things of him and to trust him with the life of this new believer. We love you Lord and we ask you to teach us more about our freedom and more about forgiving those who have “ran away” from us. Hallelujah for your great grace that allows us to be forgiven so we might forgive. We love you, adore you and now before you this day. Amen and amen.
Love you dear friend,
Pam
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