Onesiphorus…Who?
More about him at the end!
Tuesday morning began like most of my mornings…waking up before anyone else, going downstairs, relieving a little early morning pressure, pouring a cup of coffee, and sitting down for my DAWG.
I almost always begin my DAWG with a prayer like this…God, thank you for this new day, for life in it, and for this time to sit with you. Please quiet my mind and stir my heart to hear from You and experience Your presence. I commit this time to you. This morning was no different and the first verse I read was…
Those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. “I, even I, am he who comforts you.”
Isaiah 51:11-12
As soon as I read this, my attention went to the word rescue. As I thought about how God has rescued me, all these other “R” words began to come to mind…Ransom, Redeem, Renew, Restore, Righteousness, Rest, Rejoice. In the moment, I just wrote them down. But later, I went back and found verses that spoke to each of these words. It was such a great time of being reminded how God has been and continues to be at work in a mans life.
For even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:4-5
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:10
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Philippians 4:4
Now back to Onesiphorus…May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me.
2 Tim. 1:16–17
As I was finishing up writing this, I read the previous verse and there it was, one more “R” word…Refresh.
I’ve noticed lately this is what God seems to do. He reminds me of who He is, what He has done and is doing and then says…Kelley, this is what these realities about Me might look like in your life. So today it means to “be refreshing” to others as I live out of the reality of who God is.
Scotty Smith says this about Onesiphorus and us in his daily prayer-
Dear Jesus, Onesiphorus is a member of our forever-family we’ll have to wait till heaven to meet. But we’d love to imitate him, long before we meet him in the new earth.
- He entered Paul’s pain, and brought refreshment.
- He wasn’t ashamed of Paul’s weakness.
- He gave encouragement, not shame.
Jesus, make us more refreshing in the way we relate to others. Fill our hearts with your kindness, and our hands with your mercy. Give us Gospel eyes to see others as you see them. Sensitize our spirits with your Spirit. May our “to-love lists” always take precedence over our “to-do lists.” For…the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love.….Galatians 5:6
Praying this for myself and my FORGE brothers…Kelley
