Overview of: PhilemonToday's Reading:
Philemon 1:1-25
"Living as God's People"
Focus Verses: Philemon 1:4-6
4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. 6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
Insight:
Two little words in verse six always catch my eye: "so that." It's not at all surprising the Apostle Paul would be praying that Philemon would be active in sharing his faith. Paul’s prayer for Philemon to have "a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ" is also very typical. Both of these prayers are common in Paul’s pastoral letters. In this case, however, he connects "sharing faith" and "understanding" with the words "so that," suggesting that sharing our faith is essential to gaining a fuller understanding of Christ's blessing and call on our lives.
The more we share Jesus with others, the more we will understand just how much he gives us! To fully understand what it means to live in Christ, we must share our lives and our faith. God's grace toward us in Christ has a deeper and richer meaning for those who live out and share that grace with the world around them.
Response and Action:
I want to grow in my understanding and my experience of every good thing God offers me through Christ. I will look for every opportunity to share my faith with others. The good things I have in Christ are intended by God to be shared.
O God, help me to live out my faith and share my life with others. Help me to share my faith: as a husband, father, son, brother, friend, neighbor, and colleague. Thank you for every good thing you have given to me. Give me a generous heart and a readiness to share with others the blessings I have received. Amen.
Old Testament for Today: Isaiah 12:3-5
3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.
In Context: Isaiah 12
Proverb for Today: Prov. 23:12
"Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge."
Recommended Reading:
Speaking of Jesus: How to Tell Your Friends the Best News They Will Ever Hear
by J. Mack Stiles
