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Second chances.......we all need them.

Do we deserve them? Nope.
Do we receive them anyway? Not always - maybe never.
Do we give them? Do we really?

There is only One that can truly say YES to all of these questions - and NO, it's not me.......and it's not you either. It's a testament to Him that I'm even writing this because LORD knows I'm the last one to be talking about forgiveness - but isn't that just how He works.

The Apostle Paul, or Saul as he was also known, is one of the greatest examples of this. A Pharisee among Pharisees, he knew what it was to live by the book - he knew the law, and he knew how to leverage it.......and he was persecuting the very God he was trying to please:

"And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus:
and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?
And he said, Who art Thou, Lord?
And the Lord said, I am Jesus
Whom thou persecutest:
it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."
(Acts 9:3-5)

To "kick against the pricks" - that's a good way to put it isn't it. Jesus knows just how to pinpoint the problem. When that big kicking boot comes out, He knows how to turn it right around to kick the kicker.......perfectly placed in that sore spot of our own sinfulness. Ouch!

Paul received the kick, and he got the message:

"And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city,
and it shall be told thee what thou must do."
(Acts 9:6)

So what was it that God told him to do? What is it that He tells us to do?

FORGIVE.

Regardless of what has been done to you.
Regardless of who has done it to you.
Regardless of how many times it has been done to you.

FORGIVE.

Paul knew what it was to be persecuted for his faith. He knew what it was to be kicked hard and often by those that he was trying to help. But more than that, he knew what it was to be forgiven. That was the gift he received, and that's the gift he wanted to give others.

FORGIVE.

That's what Paul was doing in this letter found in the book of Philemon - he was no longer kicking, he was forgiving.......and encouraging others to do the same:

"Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ,
and Timothy our brother,
unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
And to our beloved Apphia,
and Archippus our fellowsoldier,
and to the church in thy house:
Grace to you, and peace,
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God,
making mention of thee always in my prayers,
Hearing of thy love and faith,
which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus,
and toward all saints;
That the communication of thy faith
may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing
which is in you in Christ Jesus.
For we have great joy and consolation in thy love,
because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee,
brother.
Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ
to enjoin thee that which is convenient,
Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee,
being such an one as Paul the aged,
and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus,
whom I have begotten in my bonds:
Which in time past was to thee unprofitable,
but now profitable to thee and to me:
Whom I have sent again:
thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
Whom I would have retained with me,
that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
But without thy mind would I do nothing;
that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity,
but willingly.
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season,
that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
Not now as a servant,
but above a servant,
a brother beloved, specially to me,
but how much more unto thee,
both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
If thou count me therefore a partner,
receive him as myself.
If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought,
put that on mine account;
I Paul have written it with mine own hand,
I will repay it:
albeit I do not say to thee
how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord:
refresh my bowels in the Lord.
Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee,
knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
But withal prepare me also a lodging:
for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Amen."
(Philemon 1:1-25)

What stands out to me, perhaps most in this letter, is found in this footnote added by the editors of the King James Version (KJV):

Written from Rome to Philemon,
by Onesimus a servant.

Not only was a second chance being given to Onesimus in and through this letter, but it was being written by his own hand - he was being used for good, and for his own good, all at once.

Sometimes we're the giver, and sometimes we're the receiver, and sometimes we're both. This was one of those both times for Onesimus.

It's no coincidence that the Apostle Paul is the writer of a large portion of the New Testament - God used him in the same way:

"And we know that all things
work together for good
to them that love God,
to them who are the called
according to His purpose.
For whom He did foreknow,
He also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn
among many brethren.
Moreover whom He did predestinate,
them He also called:
and whom He called,
them He also justified:
and whom He justified,
them He also glorified."
(Romans 8:28-30)

God's love is what we need to know most. We can have no love for Him, or anyone else, until we know His love for us:

"Herein is our love made perfect,
that we may have boldness in the day of judgment:
because as He is,
so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casteth out fear:
because fear hath torment.
He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We love Him,
because He first loved us."
(1 John 4:17-19)

Paul knew it - John knew it - how about us? How about those that know us?

"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.
To write the same things to you,
to me indeed is not grievous,
but for you it is safe.
Beware of dogs,
beware of evil workers,
beware of the concision.
For we are the circumcision,
which worship God in the Spirit,
and rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and have no confidence in the flesh.
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh.
If any other man thinketh that he hath
whereof he might trust in the flesh,
I more:
Circumcised the eighth day,
of the stock of Israel,
of the tribe of Benjamin,
an Hebrew of the Hebrews;
as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church;
touching the righteousness which is in the law,
blameless.
But what things were gain to me,
those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless,
and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord:
for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and do count them but dung,
that I may win Christ,
And be found in Him,
not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law,
but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That I may know Him,
and the power of His resurrection,
and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being made conformable unto His death;
If by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had already attained,
either were already perfect:
but I follow after,
if that I may apprehend that
for which also I am apprehended
of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:
but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore,
as many as be perfect,
be thus minded:
and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded,
God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained,
let us walk by the same rule,
let us mind the same thing.
Brethren, be followers together of me,
and mark them which walk so
as ye have us for an ensample.
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often,
and now tell you even weeping,
that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Whose end is destruction,
whose God is their belly,
and whose glory is in their shame,
who mind earthly things.)
For our conversation is in heaven;
from whence also we look for the Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall change our vile body,
that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body,
according to the working whereby
He is able
even to subdue all things
unto Himself."
(Philippians 3:1-21)

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He is able - and so are we, with His help.......forgive and be forgiven.

Start with yourself and press forward from there.

BE FREE.