PHILEMON - LAVISH FORGIVENESS

Wow friends,
Last week while I was at bible study with Madeline, I realized that there is a book of the bible called Philemon that I don't think I'd ever read. It's a one chapter book located between Titus and Hebrews. So today I decided to check it out. Wow, this was an awesome little study! I'm going to try to break down for you what I got out of it but I hope you'll go read it for yourself and see what the Lord reveals to you!

Here is the story, restated in my own words:

Philemon was a wealthy Christian who held house church in his home. He was devoted to Christ. He had slaves (as was common in that day) and one of his slaves names was Onesimus. Onesimus ran away from Philemon's home. The punishment for runaway slaves was severe.
At that time, Paul was in prison in Rome and Onesimus somehow hooked up with him there. Onesimus became very dear to Paul and Paul was burdened to facilitate the reconciliation of the relationship between Philemon and his slave, Onesimus. He understood the need that both men had for reconciliation with each other!
Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon with a letter that Paul had written (which is the book of the bible called Philemon). In the letter, Paul appealed to Philemon to accept Onesimus back into his home. And Paul implored Philemon to accept Onesimus back, not as a slave but as a dear brother in Christ. Paul asked Philemon to offer lavish forgiveness to Onesimus. And Paul offered to repay anything that Onesimus owed to Philemon.

Here are the parallels that I see:
Paul ~ Jesus
Onesimus ~ Me
Philemon ~ God

When I replaced the actual characters with the parallel characters, the story reads (to me) something like this:

In my life, I was a "slave" to God and He treated me well. But I ran away from Him. The punishment due for my running away was severe. But while I was far away from God, I came to know Jesus. I developed a sweet relationship with Jesus and He began to consider me His dear sister. He realized that without reconciliation, I would remain distant from God. And that God, because of His holiness and His desire to be my provider, sustainer, protection, would remain separated from me and even angry with me. So Jesus (wisely) sent me back to seek forgiveness from God. He knew that I had to make my relationship with God right, for my well being. And that God longed to be reconciled with me again too!!
Jesus sent me back to God with a letter, imploring God to offer lavish forgiveness to me and to accept me back, not as a slave (as I was formerly) but as a dear friend, into His kingdom. And Jesus then offered to repay any wrong I had done to God and anything I had stolen from Him.

Here is Jesus' letter to God:
I AM SENDING (JEN) - WHO IS MY VERY HEART - BACK TO YOU. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO KEEP (HER) WITH ME SO THAT (SHE) COULD TAKE (HER) PLACE IN HELPING ME. BUT I DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT, SO THAT ANY FAVOR YOU DO WILL BE SPONTANEOUS AND NOT FORCED. PERHAPS THE REASON (SHE) WAS SEPARATED FROM YOU FOR A LITTLE WHILE WAS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE (HER) BACK FOR GOOD - NO LONGER AS A SLAVE BUT BETTER THAN A SLAVE, AS A DEAR (SISTER). (SHE) IS DEAR TO ME BUT EVEN DEARER TO YOU, BOTH AS A (WOMAN) AND AS A (SISTER). SO IF YOU CONSIDER ME A PARTNER, WELCOME (HER) HOME AS YOU WOULD ME. IF (SHE) HAS DONE YOU ANY WRONG OR OWES YOU ANYTHING, CHARGE IT TO ME.
~ JESUS

I hope this touches you as it has me.
My prayer is that God would make me an instrument used to reconcile the "runaways" to Him. Father, give me a heart that cares and grieves for those who have run away from you and help me to point them back to you. I can relate, as a fellow run away, and I can share my story of reconciliation with others. I appeal to you to lavishly forgive them, just as you forgave me. Thank you for accepting this runaway slave back and offering me a new position of honor and a caring fulfilling relationship with you!!

Love, Jen