Philemon 1: 4-9 Philemon’s Love and Faith

I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.

The setting here is that in Timothy, Paul urged Timothy to come to him and bring him personal belongings as he was a prisoner for evangelizing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He urges him not to be ashamed of him, but to come to him for the sake of him. Now both Paul and Timothy are in prison and Paul is writing Philemon who is a Christian, but is a slave owner. In these verses, Paul informs him that he often includes him in his prayers with thanksgiving for the refreshment that he has brought the sons and daughters in the faith. Now he wants him to know that his slave whose name is Onesimus has been useful to him now that he is bound in chains. He petitions him in the spirit to consider allowing Onesimus to be more than a slave, but a brother in the work of Christ Jesus. He recognizes that Philemon has investment in him, but Paul informs him that if his loss brings him loss, that he, Paul, will make it right with him. He says this with confidence because Jesus Christ will meet his every need.

Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, let me not consider myself to me more than what I ought to. Instead, let me keep my eye on the prize which is the spread of the gospel and when I meet you face to face, I know that you will reward me for any loss I take in this life. I pray this in your name Amen.