Daily Devotions

Philemon 1: 16He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

This was a personal letter that Paul wrote to Philemon. The occasion is that Onesimus a slave of Philemon had done some wrong and was thrown into the prison where he met Paul and was converted. Now Onesimus is a changed man having been born again when Paul led him to Jesus.

We see here that Paul is now acting as a peace maker as he writes personally to Philemon whom Paul knew personally. Paul wrote urging Philemon to receive Onesimus again as he now returns not as a slave but as a brother in Christ.

This was a difficult decision for Philemon to make, firstly Onesimus was a slave and secondly a convict of low social status. He was struggling to make the decision to receive such a man and we do understand his predicament.

In such circumstances a normal person would think twice before accepting and receiving a slave and prisoner into his house.  Sometimes we too are put into such dilemma and we are in a difficult position to decide.

The only way is to ask God for a merciful and compassionate heart  to forgive and receive back. There are times when we too are faced with such similar positions and find it difficult to decide.

That is the time when we must seek God’s prompting and direction. It is when we lean to listen to the still voce of God who will speak to us.