4-11-2025

 Good Morning All,

   Philemon 1:7; “For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.”

    I am a child of the 1970’s.  Now there are some really weird things about the 70’s which remain as cruel tricks to us: mood rings, pet rocks, lots of hair, disco, leisure suits (oy!!) just to name a few.  But we also had some cool songs.  Most were light and just kind of lie in the back of your mind.  Sometimes, they come back as theme songs for TV shows.

   One of those songs is the theme to the “Golden Girls.”  You can hear it in the back of your head can’t you: 

                                                 Thank you for being a friend
                                         Traveled down the road and back again
                                   your heart is true you're a pal and a confidant!

 

This little tune goes a long way to show what Paul was writing about to Philemon in our verse.  “The hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you;” isn’t that how we would like to have a friend greet us one time when we meet?  You have refreshed me.  “You have lifted me up from the depths of my sorrow and renewed my hope and vigor” (Maj. Winchester on MASH) 

   Over the course of some of these devotions, I keep stressing to us that we are not single individuals facing the world on our own.  God has promised to be with us; to have his presence with us; to guard us and then to lead us on.  He does this in a spiritual way by reminding you of the Scriptures that you have read and know.  This is why it is important to “read, mark, learn and take to heart” the Words of the Bible.  This is how God usually speaks to us.  Usually, God does not speak to us like we speak to the guy down the road.  He uses the Words already spoken to reveal his message to us.

    Yet, God also speaks to us by using the elements of the created world.  He uses family and friends, even people who are barely acquaintances to bring you hope.  In my own life, it never ceases to amaze me how, “at just the right time,” I will get a card or letter or email from someone who offers a word of encouragement.  The lift is incredible. Sometimes it takes a friend to lift you up.  So, when you need a friend look for him and if you have a friend who needs one, be that friend.      
    One other thing that helps is to verbalize it.  When people come to me with a problem, trying to get them to say what it is can be half the battle.  Even if I know what the problem is, I want them to say it.  When we say the problem out loud, the problem suddenly gets smaller, and we can begin to see ways to address it.  The same is true in our prayer life.  Tell God what is hurting you.  This is for your benefit not his.  This is one way which God uses to let you see that the problem is smaller than God.  Sometimes, we really need to remember that.  It isn’t that God needs to hear our fears; we need to hear them.  Take the power that these fears have over us away and see God’s grace truly at work in our lives.

Dear Father, as we go through life it is filled with danger, pain, and sorrow.  If we did not have your love to sustain us, all would be lost.  Keep us in your arms, protect us and give us hope.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret