Question: What do coffee, water in a plant, air in your car, people and your computer all have in common?
Answer: They all need to be “refreshed” at times.
Just the other day the waiter asked if we wanted our coffee “refreshed.” If you don’t “refresh” the water in your plants often enough, they will become weak and even die. Air in your car can become stale if it is not “refreshed.” Your computer sometimes needs to be “refreshed” in order to operate better. And, as people, we often need another person to “refresh” us.
A few days ago I was reading some scripture with another believer. We read the whole book of Philemon in one setting. That may seem like a big deal but the whole book of Philemon only has one chapter of 25 verses. So it’s not that big of a deal to read it but as we read I was stuck with one word that appears two times in Philemon. It’s the word “refresh” and the Apostle Paul uses it to describe a dear friend of his named Philemon. Among other things, Philemon was a man who had been converted to Christ in Ephesus and then he and his family hosted a house church in the City of Colosse. Consider what Paul says about Philemon in verse 7 –
For I had great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”
Philemon 7 NASB
Philemon was a man who could see when someone was down and in need. He was a man who cared deeply for other followers of Christ. He was a man who did what he could to encourage and “refresh” Christians for the glory of God and for the strengthening of The Church. We can all become discouraged at times but “Thank you Jesus” for those believers who are there to “refresh” us when that happens. In verse 20 we read –
Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
Philemon 20 NKJV
The Apostle Paul, as faithful as he was to the Lord, needed encouragement, needed “refreshing.” And he knew where to look for it – to a Christian friend named Philemon. We need each other. We need someone who will speak into our life, help us in some way, or just say an encouraging word. Pastor Kevin says quite often: “God gives us three things when we trust Jesus as our Savior – The Holy Spirit, The Word of God, and The Church (people of God).” Philemon was the kind of believer who was willing to open his house for other believers. He was the kind of person who was observant and ready to encourage the hearts of the saints. Take time now to thank God for the people He uses to “refresh” you and then ask Him to help you see others who need to be “refreshed” and then do what you can to make that happen.