2 Chronicles 15-16; 1 Kings 16; Philemon

…The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you obey the Lord, you will find him… 2 Chronicles 15:2

The Lord searches all the earth for people who have given themselves completely to him. He wants to make them strong… 2 Chronicles 16:9

Two verses stood out to me within the reading for today. Though obviously pulled out of the context of the Old Testament histories of the Kings they are still statements of truth, regardless of the contrast of what would happen to the Israelites if they chose to ignore these truths.

These verses are reminiscent of two of my favorite “go-to” verses:

“Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t be frightened. The Lord your God will go with you. He will not leave you or forget you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“I can do all things through Christ because he gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

When I follow God, obey His commands to love Him and love others, read His Word, pray, worship…I will find God in everything. I won’t be alone. He will be right there with me. He will strengthen me, encourage me, and lead me through life with wisdom.

What does it mean to give myself completely to God? To obey Him?

Onesimus was separated from you for a short time. Maybe that happened so that you could have him back forever— not to be a slave, but better than a slave, to be a loved brother. I love him very much. But you will love him even more. You will love him as a man and as a brother in the Lord. Philemon 1:15-16

Onesimus was a man who gave himself to God. It’s understood that he was a runaway slave, who most likely stole some of his master’s property before he fled. In most circumstances, once caught, it would have been a death sentence. When he crossed paths with Paul, he became a believer in Jesus’ saving grace and became like a son to Paul.

Whether Paul encouraged him to return to Philemon’s house or he felt convicted in his own heart by Holy Spirit, he decided that it was time to do the right thing. It might cost him everything, including his life, but it might bring change to a household: uniting men in Jesus’ name, creating a bond of brothers, instead of a relationship between master and slave.

Yesappa, Thank You for being there for me as I follow you, no matter how imperfectly. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to bridge the gap for our relationship and to bring master and slave together as brothers. Help me give myself to You completely. Give me strength and be with me as I walk the path You’ve set before me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Blessings – Julie

 

International Children’s Bible, Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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2 Kings 18; Philemon; Hosea 11; Psalms 132, 133, 134

The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah this:

“The great king, the king of Assyria, says: What can you trust in now? You say you have battle plans and power for war, but your words mean nothing. Whom are you trusting for help so that you turn against me?

“Don’t listen to Hezekiah. He is fooling you when he says, ‘The Lord will save us.’ Has a god of any other nation saved his people from the power of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? They did not save Samaria from my power. Not one of all the gods of these countries has saved his people from me. Neither can the Lord save Jerusalem from my power.” 2 Kings 18:19-20; 32b-35 (NCV)

When I am in the midst of a struggle in life, I can hear two voices at war in my head.

The voice of the enemy screams at me, shouting half-truths about the struggle and solutions to the problem, taunting me with intimidation, threatening my life, and questioning the faithfulness of my God. The enemy tries to scare me into believing that I am all alone, that maybe the Lord really isn’t all-knowing, all-powerful, that He isn’t a loving God but an angry God. The enemy attempts to turn my heart, my mind, my soul against the only True and Living God, tries to weaken my trust in Him.

“Israel, how can I give you up?

How can I give you away, Israel?

I don’t want to make you like Admah

or treat you like Zeboiim.

My heart beats for you,

and my love for you stirs up my pity.

I won’t punish you in my anger,

and I won’t destroy Israel again.

I am God and not a human;

I am the Holy One, and I am among you.

I will not come against you in anger.

Hosea 11:8-9 (NCV)

The voice of God whispers, still and small, yet clear. He speaks kindness, love. He shares His heart for me, His child; He reminds me that He will never leave me nor forsake me, even when, according to the world’s standards, I may have done something to deserve punishment. He retells His Good News – He gave His Son, the final blood sacrifice, offered me the priceless gift of grace and mercy, and provided redemption and reconciliation. He shares His strength with me, shares His truth with me, shares His wisdom with me. He gives me the answer – Trust. In. Me.

It is up to me to decide who to trust, what voice to listen to. Sometimes it is hard to hear anything but the loud, clamoring noise from the enemy camp. It is hard to stand up to the heckling and there are moments in my human weakness when I succumb to the jeers and give in. I start to believe the lies of the enemy.

Maybe Onesimus was separated from you for a short time so you could have him back forever— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a loved brother. I love him very much, but you will love him even more, both as a person and as a believer in the Lord. Philemon 1:15-16 (NCV)

Then, in my feebleness, in those moments of separation from my Heavenly Father, I feel a strength that is not my own lifting me up, strengthening me. His truth rings in my ear, reverberates into my heart. His low tones rumble encouragement to my spirit and I remember the choice I made years ago to trust in Him and lean not on my own understanding. I remember that He chose me first, before the beginning of time, before I ever cared for Him. The battle of the voices ends and God’s voice resounds clear.

The Lord has chosen Jerusalem;

he wants it for his home.

He says, “This is my resting place forever.

Here is where I want to stay.

Psalm 132:13-14 (NCV)

I am in Him and He is in me forever and ever. Amen.

Blessings – Julie (writing from Sholavandan, India)

Scripture taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Titus 1 – Philemon

Scripture

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.  If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.
(Philemon 17-18 NIV)

Observation

Philemon is a remarkable little letter from Paul to an early Christian slave owner named Philemon.  Philemon had a slave named Onesimus who ran away and probably stole from him as well.  Onesimus fled his master and made his way to Rome, no doubt hoping to lose himself in the crowds there.  When he got to Rome, though, he somehow encountered the imprisoned Paul.  Paul introduced the slave to Jesus, and Onesimus became a believer.

But now Paul is sending Onesimus back to his owner.  In the Roman world, Onesimus deserved death for running away.  However, while Philemon is still his master, he is now also his brother in Christ.  So Paul writes to Philemon personally on behalf of Onesimus, asking him to receive him back – “no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother” (16a).

Application

Paul shows the gospel to be a great equalizer.  He leaves no room for social prejudice – or any prejudice at all – among believers.  Though not explicitly asking for Onesimus’ freedom, Paul makes it clear that the gospel leaves no room for slavery.  He does not overtly fight the establishment, but rather rests in the power of the gospel to change society.

There is also a remarkable parallel between Paul’s intercession for Onesimus and Christ’s intercession for us as sinners.  In justifying the slave before his master, Paul (like Christ) both pays the debt for wrongdoing (“charge it to me”) and imputes his own goodness to the wrongdoer (“welcome him as you would welcome me”).  In doing so, he provides a vivid picture of Christ and His infinite grace in providing salvation for mankind.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank you for paying my debt and giving me your righteousness before the Father.  Without you, I was a slave to sin, and I deserved death.  But you died in my place, paying the price for my sin, and now when I stand before God He sees your goodness, not my dirtiness.  All I can say is – thank you.  Thank you for loving me when I was unlovable, for reaching out to me when I had no one, for giving me grace and peace that I did not deserve.  I’m blown away by the magnitude of your love.

(wordisalive)