In the Bible, Paul, the apostle, introduces us to a runaway criminal slave called Onesimus. He had stolen from his master, Philemon, and had escaped to ‘get lost’, in Rome. Philemon was a Christian, who lived in Colossae, an important ancient city in Asia Minor (now modern Turkey).

It would be helpful if you were able to read the letter Paul wrote to PHILEMON in the New Testament.

Onesimus thought that the bustling streets of Rome would provide the perfect cover for his crime and that he would never have to face his master again. What he failed to factor into his plans was that he could not escape from God. King David wrote, ‘Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? . . . If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead, and Your right hand shall hold me’, Psalm 139 verses, 7, 9-12. David knew by experience, what Onesimus later discovered, that there is NO HIDING PLACE from God. The first act of Adam and Eve, when they disobeyed God, was to hide from Him in the Garden of Eden. Countless people have sought to do the same thing ever since. Are you among them? If you think you have succeeded in doing so, you will eventually discover, beyond death, that there is NO HIDING PLACE and you will have to face Him as your judge, Revelation chapter 20 verses 2-13. This will not be the experience of Onesimus! Eventually, he ‘stopped running’ and trusted Jesus Christ as His Saviour from sin and a lost eternity. Share with us the continuation of his story in tomorrow’s meditation.

Are you still trying to hide from God? Read this story yourself in the Bible. Please contact us and we will gladly send you a Bible which includes the letter Paul wrote to Philemon. We will pray for you. Come back again for another Message of Hope.