The Lord’s Grace

Philemon 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. 22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
 
PAUL, you remember, has been encouraging Philemon to have a welcoming, forgiving spirit for his former slave Onesimus. It may seem that Paul is demanding this with his words, “confident of your obedience.” as if he wants Philemon to obey him. In the language of that day, thought, Paul is confident Philemon will obey God’s will.
    Paul also anticipates he’ll be free from prison soon. And he is hoping to visit Philemon in Colosse, a place he has never been. Paul anticipates and hopes for restoration, renewal, forgiveness, freedom and time to visit. How will any of this occur?
    The last sentence tells us. Paul, of course, recognizes all is done in God’s will under the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Paul had also begun his letter with, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Philemon 3), he is reminding all that they are under the authority of God’s undeserved favor. Grace is why God acts to save, to bless, to empower his people. Without God’s grace, there is no plan of salvation, no law, no gospel, no Savior and no new birth in Jesus’ Christ.
    If God were without grace he would have no patience, mercy and kindness to teach us his truth. No person would desire to know God. We would be unable to recognize wrong from right. Our lives would be a meaningless journey to destruction.
    That is why we must daily worship God and thank him for the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our risen Savior has favored us with his obedience to the Father. Jesus has graciously sent the Holy Spirit to receive God’s grace of faith for the forgiveness of our sins. The Spirit awakens us to humility, submission, peace, love and forgiveness.
    This is what Paul hoped Philemon would experience. We don’t know the results of this letter. But we do know God’s empowered apostle wrote a grace-filled letter to a brother in Christ. He encouraged Philemon in the ways of God. He urged Philemon and the church to know and do God’s will. This is all he could do. Paul had no power to change anyone. In the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Spirit would do God’s will through God’s people.
    What issues do you see in your life? Do you want them resolved? Then seek the Lord’s gracious will. Perhaps as you pray, read the Bible, worship and learn, he will awaken you anew to his grace to transform broken lives. Perhaps as you draw more closely to God, you will know his grace to rest in him. And you will allow God to do his work in his time.
 
Life Thought: May the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.