Devotions
Chosen to Forgive
While imprisoned, Paul meets a runaway slave named Onesimus. We don’t know a lot about Onesimus, but at some point, Paul convinces Onesimus to return home. Returning home, Onesimus will face punishment and possibly death from his master. With Onesimus, Paul sends a letter to Onesimus’s master, Philemon. In the letter, Paul asks Philemon to forgive Onesimus.
Paul regards both Onesimus and Philemon as brothers. Onesimus meets Paul as a runaway slave but at some point Onesimus becomes a Christian, and although Paul personally would like Onesimus to remain in his life, he is aware that Onesimus must return home to his master Philemon. But he is asking Philemon to receive Onesimus not as a slave but as a brother in Christ.
The book of Philemon is a powerful message to all Christians. We are all born into the slavery of sin. The death and resurrection of Christ free us from the slavery of sin. We are not freed based on class, wealth, or race. We are not freed based upon our good deeds, nor are we not denied freedom from sin because of our past misdeeds. We are all sinners chosen by God. God forgives our sins through our repentance and our acceptance of His will. As we are forgiven, we must learn to forgive others and understand that, like ourselves, they are also chosen by God.
The Voice of the Lord is Power
The rising and setting of the sun, or a beautiful rainbow painted across the sky, can cause us to pause and reflect on the wonder of God. Every day we see the glory of God in nature. The chirping of birds singing His praise, the blooming of flowers proclaiming His majesty, and the gentle breeze of the wind whispering the peace He brings.
Psalm 29 describes the power of God in a storm: a voice flashing lightening across the sky, a powerful voice roaring across the sky, a voice powerful enough to shatter trees. The voice of God is so powerful, nations mistook His voice for a god. But the voice of God expresses His omnipresence. Whether God whispers or roars, we know He is God. His voice brings us the joy and peace of His love, and as we lift our voices in praise we feel the power of His voice.
Perfect Love
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
Sometimes we speak thoughts that should remain unspoken, and sometimes we react with judgment, instead of understanding. However, sometimes we respond to the same situations with kindness and forgiveness. Why? We were born as sinners into a sinful world. But the death of Christ was the sacrifice needed to free sinners from a sinful world.
Christ’s death and resurrection allow us to have a relationship with Him. It is a relationship that convicts us when we are wrong and humbles us when we realize how much He loves us. In return, all He asks is that we love one another.
When we look at our moral failings, we are humbled by the unconditional love of God. When we speak and react without grace to others, we are still loved by Christ and receive His grace. But when we love with grace, we understand the gift of His perfect love. And now we know we can love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).