PHILEMON

   "I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains." (Philemon 1:10  NIV)
                                (the book of Philemon has no "3:16"

Paul was in this prison...ghastly

The book of Philemon   is a short letter written by Paula while he was in prison. Paul wrote this letter to his friend Philemon, asking him to forgive Onesimus and give him assistance. In this scripture the terminology "son" refers to the fact that Paul had led Onesimus to Christ; thus, Paul had "fathered" Onesimus in Christianity.  Paul had also fathered Philemon in Christ many years earlier...

Paul and Onesimus met in prison. When they met, Onesimus was a runaway slave, and his master was Paul's old friend Philemon.  Small world.  Now, in this letter, Paul is asking Philemon to forgive this runaway slave and to take him in as a brother.  Paul writes, "You both are now brothers in Christ.  Forgive him - like Christ forgives you.  Take him in.  But not as a slave; as a brother.  And, if he owes you anything, I will pay it." This reminds me of the story of  "The Good Samaritan";  the good Samaritan not only immediately helped the injured man, he payed for several days of  the mans care, and, returned a few days later to check on his progress. The story of the Good Samaritan can be read in Luke 10:30-37.  It  is a word picture, demonstrating the difference between  selfishness and compassion in action.

Near the end of Paul's letter to Philemon, he writes, "Confident of your obedience, I write to you knowing that you will do even more than I ask." (Philemon 1:21)

The short book of Philemon reveals the characteristics of forgiveness at its best.   Not only was Paul willing to help Onesimus by writing this letter,  he was also willing to pay his debts. (Put your money where your mouth is!)  And, he trusted Philemon to do the right thing as well.



Today it is very easy to walk past a situation and say, "I don't want to get involved."   But, as Believers,  we have a higher calling than theordinary person.  Let us not be like sardines in a can... all lined up,  looking alike, acting alike, being alike.  But, we are called to be more Christlike... forgiveness, compassion, caring. Even if we think the other person doesn't "deserve" it.  As one elderly lady said  to me years ago, "If any of us got what we deserve, we'd all be in hell."

JOSHUA 3:16

     "That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan; and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people passed over right against Jericho."  (KJV)



     DANGER: KEEP OUT: FLOODING!   If this event happened nowadays, surely some government agency would post a danger sign.  It was Springtime, and, as we read in the prior verse, " the Jordan overflows all his banks through all the time until harvest."   So, every year, from Spring through Autumn, the Jordan River was at flood stage.  Despite this, God gave specific instructions on what to do at the river;  he also gave His promise that He would be there... just as He had been with Moses...

the Jordan River

     Just as crossing the Red Sea with Moses to escape from Egypt was a milestone in the Israelite's history, so was the crossing of the Jordan River with Joshua to enter the promised land.  There are many similarities between the two events.  Both were God-directed.  And, both were God-delivered journeys.
     God gave specific instructions that the priests carrying the ark of the covenant go first and stand in the water. The preists, Joshua, and the people obeyed.  ( Oh, boy, there's that obedience thing again! Are you beginning to notice a trend here?)  The waters parted when the priests' feet hit the water. It actually piled up in "heaps".  (Gives new meaning to the term, "standing water", doesn't it?) The priests then took the ark to the center of the DRY riverbed, and all the Israelites followed, successfully crossing the Jordan River. 
     Now, we're not talking about a couple dozen people here... The army was forty thousand men, fully dressed for battle.  Add to that women and children,  the priests and Levites, and any foreigners who had elected to join the Israelites.... a very low estimate of the people crossing the river would be 100,000.  This was no small pathway!  No small miracle!
     Once all the people had crossed the riverbed, the priests with the ark came out.  Then the water returned and ran at flood stage as it had before the crossing.  Only God could make that journey possible.  All He asked for was faith and obedience.
     The Israelites had been trapped in terrible slavery and oppression in Egypt.  Although their situation was of their own doing, God, with His amazing love and mercy, provided them a way of escape.  Are you experiencing an "Egypt" of your own today?   People are slaves to schedules, the media, substances, possessions, emotions... Do you recognize the slavery in your life?  God can make your journey out of "Egypt" possible.  He will tell you how.  Be willing to listen.  And obey.
     And, if needed,  be prepared to get your feet wet.



priests carrying the ark, as the water parts...