THE LORD SPOKE (July 23)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Job 1-3

(This reading was inadvertently deleted. Sorry for the inconvenience!)


New Testament: Philemon

Martin Luther pointed out that this little epistle was a picture of a much greater story and one that is very personal to every one of us. “Even as Christ did for us with God the Father, thus Paul also does for Onesimus and Philemon.” Paul’s argument in this book is the same that our Advocate uses before the throne of God when pleading our case.

Paul’s appeal is carefully constructed. After the opening salutation (vs. 1-3) he builds rapport with Philemon (vs. 4-10) before making his plea (vs. 11-19). In the conclusion (vs. 20-21), he presses for a response and then closes the brief letter with a normal greeting and benediction (vs. 22-25).

It’s noteworthy that he doesn’t even mention Onesimus until his seventh sentence and then doesn’t repeat his name again. When he does use his name (vs. 10), he makes a delightful wordplay out of it. “Onesimus” means “useless” in Greek. (How would you like that for a name?) Paul tells his friend that this run-away slave is a useful and very dear brother (vs. 11,15-16).

That’s what the Gospel can do. It can take a low-down, Lord-denying, lazy dog crook and make him a regenerated, Christ-exalting, clean cut Christian. It can change your crooked path. It can wash you whiter than snow. It can turn dust and ashes into a bright gem, fit for the Master’s use.

Though he might have been slow to admit it, Philemon needed that just as much as Onesimus did. He’d let himself get hard. He’d gotten to the point where he too needed a fresh flow of God’s mercy and grace. How about you? Where are you today?

Grace, ’tis a charming sound,
Harmonious to mine ear;
Heaven with the echo shall resound,
And all the earth shall hear.

Grace first inscribed my name
In God’s eternal book;
’Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,
Who all my sorrows took.

Grace taught my soul to pray
And made mine eyes o’erflow;
’Twas grace which kept me to this day,
And will not let me go.

O let Thy grace inspire
My soul with strength divine,
All my powers to Thee aspire,
And all my days be Thine.