Philemon vs. 8-17 (NIV)excerpts ...10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. 12I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. ... 15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. 17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.
Have you ever tried to remove the sticky label from a jar? Isn’t it frustrating when remnants of the label are still adhered to the surface? Years ago, I learned that a small dab of peanut butter would remove those sticky remnants of adhesive better than most advertised products. The fact is, we all carry a label...we are all sinners.
Romans 3:23 ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
For each of us, it is the blood of Jesus Christ that removes the label of “sin” from our lives. The blood of Christ removes every trace of that sticky label. We become a new person with a new purpose for life.
In today’s passage, we see the life of Onesimus changed from slavery to fellow saint. Research tells us the name Onesimus actually means useful. How interesting to discover this good man was useful in both name and action. As the blood of Christ cleanses you, and creates in you a new person, what new purposes will you find in which to be useful?
Gracious Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the gift of your Son, whose blood cleanses us from every trace of the sticky label “sin” we bear. We ask that you work within us by your Spirit to show us the ways in which we might be useful for your Kingdom.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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