"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 31 August 2016 with Scripture: Philemon 1-21

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 31 August 2016
with Scripture: Philemon 1-21

Philemon 1 From: Sha’ul, a prisoner for the sake of the Messiah Yeshua, and brother Timothy
To: Our dear fellow-worker Philemon, 2 along with sister Apphia, our fellow-soldier Archippus and the congregation that gathers in your home:
3 Grace and shalom to you from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
4 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers, Philemon, 5 for I am hearing about your love and commitment to the Lord Yeshua and to all God’s people. 6 I pray that the fellowship based on your commitment will produce full understanding of every good thing that is ours in union with the Messiah. 7 For your love has given me much joy and encouragement. Brother, you have refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
8 Therefore, I would not hesitate, in union with the Messiah, to direct you to do the thing you ought to do. 9 But since I Sha’ul, am the kind of person I am, an old man and now for the Messiah Yeshua’s sake a prisoner besides, I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. 10 My request to you concerns my son, of whom I became the father while here in prison, Onesimus. 11 His name means “useful,” and although he was once useless to you, he has now become most useful — not only to you but also to me; 12 so that in returning him to you I am sending a part of my very heart. 13 I would dearly have loved to keep him with me, in order for him to serve me in your place while I am in prison because of the Good News. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do for me may be voluntary and not forced.
15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a brief period was so that you could have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, as a dear brother. And that he is, especially to me. But how much dearer he must be to you, both humanly and in union with the Lord!
17 So if you are in fellowship with me, receive him as you would me. 18 And if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me.
19 I, Sha’ul, write with my own hand. I will repay it.
(I won’t mention, of course, that you owe me your very life.) 20 Yes, brother, please do me this favor in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Messiah.
21 Trusting that you will respond positively, I write knowing that you will indeed do more than I am asking.
22 One more thing: please get a room ready for me. For I hope that through the prayers of you all God will give me a chance to visit you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner for the sake of the Messiah Yeshua, sends greetings to you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow-workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with your spirit.[Complete Jewish Bible] 
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It is rare that the lectionary includes an entire book of the Bible, but that is essentially what is before us today. In this letter to Philemon, the apostle Paul is begging for reconciliation on behalf of Onesimus, the slave of Philemon. Onesimus has escaped from his master Philemon and somehow has shown up at Paul's prison cell. Onesimus confesses his crime to Paul, which was punishable by death, and banks on Paul's gracious welcome, but perhaps with no idea that in the process he would become a disciple of Jesus and a brother in Christ. Paul shows him love and mercy and convinces Onesimus to return home. In his letter, Paul also pleads with Philemon to be just as merciful to the newly-converted Onesimus. If this letter of mercy is important enough to be in the biblical canon, then it should inspire us to learn to live with reconciliation in our hearts and minds as well.
God of mercy, teach us to forgive. Remind us that forgiveness is more for our sake than it is for the person receiving our forgiveness. You told us that in order to be forgiven we too must forgive. Take away any feelings of anger or hurt that we might be clinging to this day. Amen.
Craig Wexler, '10
Pastor, Lutheran Memorial Church, Pierre, SD 
Philemon 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker,
2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God
5 because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus.
6 I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ.
7 I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.
8 For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty,
9 yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love--and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.
10 I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.
11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me.
12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel;
14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced.
15 Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever,
16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother--especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.
18 If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.
19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.
20 Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.[New Revised Standard Version]
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