Everyday Prayers for JoySample

Joy Found in Refreshing Others

Paul had spent three years in Ephesus, preaching the gospel. During that time, a very wealthy man named Philemon heard the gospel, was saved, and immediately began opening his home for believers to meet. He wanted to serve God in any way possible.

Onesimus, one of Philemon’s servants, stole something from his master’s home and fled to Rome, hoping to blend into this highly populated city and not be found. In God’s sovereignty, Onesimus came into contact with Paul, heard the gospel, gave his life to Christ, and became a friend and helper to Paul, who was imprisoned in Rome. Paul, knowing that Onesimus was a fugitive and had broken relationships that needed to be taken care of, wrote to Philemon, telling him how Onesimus’s life had been transformed. Paul appealed to him to welcome Onesimus back into his home “as a beloved brother” (verse 16). He encouraged Philemon to have a new relationship with his former servant, something that would have been very difficult and rare in the Greco-Roman culture of the day. Paul wanted to see radical reconciliation.

How did Paul know that he could make this appeal to Philemon? He had been in his home. He had seen, firsthand, his transformed life after hearing and receiving the gospel, and how Philemon had deeply loved and served the believers there.

Just the memory of his time with Philemon brought Paul great joy. Remembering the love he had experienced in his home gave Paul the confidence to appeal to Philemon to receive his former slave back into his home, view him through eyes of grace, and love him as the brother in Christ he had become.

Do you know someone who, after spending time together, leaves you feeling refreshed and encouraged? More importantly, do you bring joy to others by seeking to refresh them?

Father, I pray that You would give me a heart for others and that I would grow in my love for those whom You have put in my life. Please show me today who You want me to reach out to, to encourage and refresh. Please help me to be willing to give generously from all that You have blessed me with, that others might experience the joy and comfort that comes from You.