Philemon is the shortest book of the Bible having only one chapter. We’ll go ahead and break this chapter into two readings. While it is a short letter, there are gems of wisdom we can glean from it. Amidst his chains, Paul writes with love and encouragement to Philemon. We should all show our gratefulness to our friends and family.
It is obvious from his greeting that Paul loves and admires Philemon for his work. Philemon was a slave owner and only recently became a follower of Jesus during Paul’s missionary journey to Ephesus. It is Paul’s prayer that Philemon will put into action the generosity that comes from our faith.
What would it look like if we were to take this hope and apply it to our life. How are we being generous because of our faithfulness? Think on that for a moment. We, by all that we have been given, should be the most generous of all.
Our faith gives us the assurance that we will have all that we need. It also gives us a grateful heart that prompts us into action. We need to be in communication and fellowship with other believers and non-believers. That is crucial. We support each other, we complement each other, we give generously to each other, and we share the truth of Jesus.
But what about the times when we struggle? We need to be like Paul and forge on despite our chains and rely on God’s provision. We have confidence in our God, and he will never leave us or forsake us. I feel sad for people who don’t have that assurance, especially when trials come.
Let’s pray. Lord you have given me so much. My time, my talents and abilities, and treasures are yours. Give me a generous heart. Chip away at my hard heart that I may see others like you do and love them despite their issues.Walk beside me today, give me the eyes to see and ears to hear. May I be bold and unafraid like Paul and ready for action. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
