Morning Musings-True Freedom

  Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...





Philemon must have been a rather decent chap.  He was asked to forgive.  When his slave Onesimus ran away, he also must have stolen some items, likely even some money.  Paul, the writer of the epistle to Philemon, leaves the ball in Philemon's park when he sent Onesimus back to him telling him to do the "proper thing" and to treat him as a "brother beloved"!


We are getting ahead of ourselves though...God's hand can be seen upon Onesimus, the run away slave's life.  Onesimus wanted his freedom for what ever reason.  Running away however, was not true freedom; he had to always be looking over his shoulder for fear of arrest and if arrested, then, of being put to death.  Runaway slaves were punished with death.  In all, he was not very free.

God arranged an appointment for Onesimus and wonder of wonders he ran right smack dab into Paul!  Oh no!  Not Paul!  Paul knows his master!  No freedom.  Imprisoned.  Maybe he thought, "I want to die!  Hide me!"  But now Onesimus is compelled by God and now Onesimus gets true freedom.  With his own efforts Onesimus got himself into worse imprisonment but with God, he gained true freedom of heart, soul and spirit.

He eventually got freedom from the prison but not yet of his own earthly master.  Paul sends Onesimus right back to Philemon.  He must suffer the consequences of his actions.  We learn though, that Onesimus does obtain further freedom by the grace of God and the grace of God 
working in Philemon.

  Philemon, although greatly compelled by Paul to release Onesimus, must have also been a person of Christ-like forgiveness.  These were times where slaves were considered a man's property and they could do more or less what they liked with them.  Certainly, punishment for running away and stealing from the master would not be light.  

We can see from Colossians 4:9 that Philemon must have extended forgiveness to Onesimus and what's more, given him freedom from his slavery.  He released him to Paul for the gospel and Paul's ministry.  Onesimus, the once useless slave, was now a useful slave of God's and to righteousness through Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection.

My sons, when you leave home...remember that there is only true freedom in Christ.  He'll be with you wherever you go waiting for you to live for Him.  Waiting for you to submit to Him and to be His 'slave' to obey His will for your life and to work for Him, serving Him according to the plan He has for you.  God didn't take His eye off Onesimus and He won't take His eye off you even if you try to break away from Him.  He cares about you and loves you.

You might want freedom from parents and home but there's still God.  Earthly parents make mistakes and are imperfect.  God, our Heavenly Father, is perfect.  He never makes mistakes.  Put your life into His hands.  Therein is true freedom.

                                                                 ~ERC 2016~